Joey Logano admitted it was tough finishing second in the 65th Daytona 500.
Logano finished second in the #22 Team Penske Ford Mustang to first-time Daytona 500 winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in the longest-ever edition of the race, which covered 212 laps and 530mi (853km) of racing.
The reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion remained in contention right up to the second overtime period in the brutal race of attrition.
He was the beneficiary of a push from Kyle Larson after the overtime restart, holding the lead of the race with one lap to go, before Stenhouse Jr. vaulted to the front to take the win as chaos unfolded behind the frontrunners, resulting in a Caution after the white flag was waved.
“Second is the worse – you’re so close,” Logano reflected.
“Leading the white flag lap there, I was up front, Kyle [Larson] gave me a good push and, yeah, you’re watching in the mirror, and you’re three wide across there.
“I felt like the three wide was going to hurt a lane; looked like Kyle was getting pushed ahead, and then Ricky started getting pushed ahead.
“I knew if I went to the bottom my car didn’t handle good enough. I already got pushed off the bottom once, and I thought ‘if I go down there I’m probably going to get wrecked, and I don’t know if I can get down there in time to throw the block’ and so I didn’t want to wreck my car either.”
Classy Logano congratulates Stenhouse Jr. on Daytona victory
A Daytona 500 winner himself in 2015, Logano congratulated Stenhouse Jr. on his maiden victory, in becoming the 41st driver to claim victory in the ‘Great American Race.’
“Congratulations to Ricky, there’s nothing like winning the Daytona 500, that’s why it stings so much finishing second,” he added.
“Still proud of the team, still proud of the effort coming off the championship last year and bringing this Shell-Pennzoil Mustang back toward the front and getting a Ford close to the front.
“I wish it was in Victory Lane, though.”
The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series continues next weekend with a race at the Auto Club Speedway, Fontana, California on Sunday, February 26.
