A Record‑Breaking Night at North Wilkesboro
Joey Logano seized control early in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series race at North Wilkesboro, guiding his No. 22 Team Penske entry through 323 of the 450 laps and establishing a new personal best for lead laps in a single event.
The victory marked the first points‑paying Cup triumph for the historic track since Jeff Gordon’s last win three decades earlier, and Logano crossed the finish line 0.859 seconds ahead of veteran Denny Hamlin, who led a trio of Joe Gibbs Racing machines with Chase Briscoe in third and Ty Gibbs fourth.
Stage dynamics saw Logano capture Stage 2, while Ty Gibbs claimed Stage 1 with a daring last‑lap pass, adding another layer of drama to a race that featured only six drivers on the lead lap despite 34 of 37 starters finishing.
Shane van Gisbergen delivered his best performance on an oval to date, finishing fifth, while a trio of drivers — Chad Finchum, Josh Berry and A.J. Allmendinger — were the only non‑finishers in what was otherwise a clean contest. The result lifts Logano to 38 career wins, placing him 23rd on the all‑time victories list.