Las Vegas points, results: Joey Logano claimed the first spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4, beating Ross Chastain for a victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The Team Penske driver, who won the 2018 championship, advanced to the title round for the fifth time with his third victory this season and the 30th of his career.
It’s also the third victory for Logano at Las Vegas, which is tied for his most at a track in NASCAR’s premier series.
RESULTS: Click here for where everyone finished l Click here for the race report
The winner of the Round of 8 opener has won the Cup championship in three of the past six seasons -- Jimmie Johnson (Martinsville 2016), Logano (Martinsville 2018) and Kyle Larson (Texas 2021).
Chastain finished second, followed by Kyle Busch, Chase Briscoe and Denny Hamlin.
The results of other playoff drivers still eligible for the championship: William Byron (13th), Chase Elliott (21st), Ryan Blaney (28th) and Christopher Bell (34th), who got caught in a crash involving Bubba Wallace and Kyle Larson.
Wallace was squeezed into the wall by Larson and then seemed to retaliate by hitting the Hendrick Motorsports driver in the right rear. Wallace then confronted and shoved the 2021 Cup champion, who walked away from the 23XI driver.
Blaney led 39 laps before losing control of his No. 12 Ford and crashing in Turn 2 on Lap 228 while running third.
POINTS
Logano was the first of the eight remaining championship-eligible drivers to lock into one of the four spots in the Nov. 6 championship at Phoenix Raceway.
Chastain is ranked second in the standings, 18 points above the cutoff line, followed by Elliott (plus-17) and Hamlin (plus-6)
Below the cutline are Byron (minus-6), Briscoe (minus-9), Blaney (minus-11) and Bell (minus-23).
Click here for driver standings l Click here for team owner standings
'@joeylogano will race for the title!
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) October 16, 2022
Chastain, Elliott and Hamlin currently have the other three Championship 4 spots. #NASCARPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/7NEL1b0FR6