Joey Logano: ‘Second is the worst’
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — While Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was named the winner of the 2023 Daytona 500 following a last-lap crash, the first runner-up was Joey Logano.
Logano led on six occasions for 12 laps and had the lead on the last lap.
“Second is the worst, man,” Logano said. “You’re so close. Leading the white flag lap there, I was up front. Kyle 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.”
Logano has won the Daytona 500 once, in 2015. 2023 marked his highest finish in The Great American Race since the victory.
Leaving Daytona, Logano is the points leader (52 points) over Chris Buescher (50), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (48), Christopher Bell (44) and Alex Bowman (41).
The two-time Cup Series champion congratulated Stenhouse on his first victory in the Cup Series since 2017.
“There’s nothing like winning the Daytona 500,” Logano said. “That’s why it stings so much finishing second.
“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. Wish it was in Victory Lane, though.
