Joey Logano's bid for fourth NASCAR title ends at Martinsville

Without a win at Martinsville in 2018, Joey Logano likely wouldn't have gone on to win his first NASCAR Cup Series title later that same year. But on Sunday at Martinsville, when he needed another clutch win, the three-time Cup Series champion didn't have enough. 

Logano, along with his Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney, needed to win Sunday's Xfinity 500 to advance to the Championship 4 for the third time in four years and have a shot at defending his 2024 title. 

Unlike Blaney, however, Logano didn't have a winning pace. While he managed to finish second behind eventual race winner William Byron in Stage 1, he finished 13th in Stage 2 and crossed under the checkered flag in eighth. 

It was far from what Logano needed to continue his title defense. 

Even after a late caution threatened to mix things up, Logano and crew chief Paul Wolfe opted not to go for a Hail Mary strategy of changing only two tires or staying out. 

Joey Logano couldn't make a wild strategy call at the race's end

"We're the team to do things, but that wouldn't make sense," Logano told reporters after the race. "You gotta have the lead to put two tires on. Just wasn't good enough."