Joey Logano emerged victorious in a grueling NASCAR Cup Series race at Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday, securing his first win of the season in the Ally 400. The race, which stretched far beyond its scheduled distance, saw Logano navigate five overtime periods and execute a masterful fuel-saving strategy to clinch the checkered flag.

Logano led for nine of the 331 laps in his No. 22 Team Penske Ford. The victory, his 33rd in the Cup Series, not only marked his first at the 1.33-mile Tennessee track but also guaranteed him a spot in the playoffs.

The race was a test of endurance and strategy, with Logano’s last pit stop coming on Lap 220. As multiple cautions extended the race, Logano meticulously conserved fuel during yellow flag periods. The nail-biting finish saw Logano’s fuel light come on in Turn 3 of the final lap, with the car sputtering across the finish line.

“I’m out of breath,” an elated Logano told NBC Sports post-race. “We had it won off of (Turn) 4, and then the caution came out, and I was like, oh, my God, but you can’t pit. You’ve kind of got to go for it.”

Rookie Zane Smith impressed with a career-best second-place finish in the No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, just 0.068 seconds behind Logano. Tyler Reddick, Ryan Preece, and Chris Buescher rounded out the top five.

The race was marked by dramatic turns of fortune for several top contenders. Ross Chastain, who led for 45 laps, crashed out after contact with Kyle Larson in the first overtime. Denny Hamlin, who started on pole and led for 70 laps, was forced to pit from the lead late in the race due to fuel concerns. Kyle Larson’s car ran out of fuel during one of the overtime restarts, collecting Kyle Busch in the process.

Christopher Bell dominated the early stages of the race, leading for a race-high 131 laps and winning the first two stages. However, his day ended prematurely when he lost control and crashed with 73 laps to go.

Adding to the day’s challenges, the race was interrupted by a late-afternoon thunderstorm during the second stage, resulting in a red flag period lasting one hour and 20 minutes.

The NASCAR Cup Series now looks ahead to its next event, the Grant Park 165, set to take place on the streets of Chicago next Sunday. This second annual Chicago Street Race Weekend promises to deliver more excitement as drivers navigate the unique challenges of urban racing.

Image: James Gilbert/Getty Images