For the fifth year in a row, the NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway underwent a double-digit number of cautions. This year, Joey Logano was the lucky survivor of the crashes, pit cycles, and turn four bump that caused them after starting 27th in the Wurth 400 Sunday afternoon.

The 2024 NASCAR Cup Champion recorded his first top five of the season last week at Talladega before a disqualification dropped him from his finish position. With that penalty, his win at Texas becomes his first top-five finish.

“The sport changes so quickly, it’s funny how you can just ride these roller coasters,” Logano said after his victory.

Denny Hamlin was the first driver to retire after an engine failure sent him drifting down the front stretch with his Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 Toyota on fire.

With 54 laps to go, the drivers were set with tires and fuel to race it out, with Michael McDowell repeatedly holding on up front alongside Kyle Larson’s lead on two worn left-side tires. Larson faded on a late restart and McDowell was able to hold off the field again and again on old tires until he pushed it too far.

Ryan Blaney was positioned to be the benefactor of the regular tire strategy next to McDowell, but couldn’t make a pass stick on the four restarts they started side-by-side. Blaney nearly passed McDowell when the No. 45 of Tyler Reddick went around, bringing out the second-to-last caution. As per NASCAR rules, the positions go back to the last timing and scoring line, where it showed McDowell was just inches ahead of Blaney.

Logano made it past his teammate, who was struggling to pass McDowell for second, to then take the lead. McDowell missed the bottom, and Logano was able to capitalize, making the pass up top.

Blaney would end up falling to third when Ross Chastain passed him on the bottom. The former champion, with four DNFs this season, takes the blame for not being able to execute a pass for the lead on the series of late race restarts.

“It’s just a driver making dumb decisions and not doing his job,” Blaney said.

McDowell spun from third on the final restart while still pushing to race up with the Penskes on much fresher tires.

“I still had the fight in me, I probably should’ve conceded at that point,” McDowell told Fox Sports.