With two first-time champions and a three-time champion at NASCAR’s highest level crowned over the weekend at Phoenix Raceway, the 2024 NASCAR season has ended.
Championship weekend was a fitting end to an eventful NASCAR season that saw photo finishes, including the closest finish in Cup Series history, and the final race for Stewart Haas Racing and 2017 champion Martin Truex Jr., who is retiring from full-time competition.
With a lot left to unpack from the 2024 campaign, here are some final thoughts on the NASCAR season that was.
Ty Majeski dominates, wins first Truck Series title
While Corey Heim might have won the most races in the series with six victories over the course of the season, it was Majeski who claimed his first series championship. Leading an impressive 132 of the 150 laps, Majeski’s triumph marked the third title in the last four years for ThorSport Racing.
In total, Majeski had three wins, 10 top fives, 14 top 10s and only two DNFs and led 600 laps.
Justin Allgaier overcomes adversity, finally claims first Xfinity championship
At long last, Allgaier is an Xfinity Series champion. After six prior Championship Four appearances, it was lucky number seven for the driver of the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet. Despite more DNFs (six) than the rest of the Championship Four contenders, as well as a practice crash that forced him to go to a backup car for the title race and a restart violation and pit road speeding penalty during the event, Allgaier caught a timely caution late in the race and was able to race his way to the front.
Although Riley Herbst scored the win, Allgaier outran fellow Championship Four drivers Cole Custer, AJ Allmendinger and Austin Hill to claim that elusive first Xfinity title at the age of 38.
Joey Logano does it again, becomes the 10th driver all-time to win three or more championships
Like it or not, Logano is a three-time Cup Series champion. Before we even get into that, let’s keep in mind that Logano was not even in the Round of 8 initially until Alex Bowman’s No. 48 was disqualified after the Charlotte Roval. Nevertheless, Logano now stands as a three-time champion and Team Penske has won all three championships in the Next-Gen car between Logano and Ryan Blaney.
Logano led 107 laps in the race and took advantage of the opportunity he was given after Bowman’s DQ. However, with drivers like Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell leading 1,699 and 1,145 laps, respectively and scoring more top fives (15) than Logano scored top 10s (13), it definitely brings the playoff format into question for most fans.
As Austin Konenski of MotorsportsWire pointed out, Logano recorded the fewest top fives, top 10s and lowest average finishing position of any Cup champion in the modern era.
Regardless of how you feel, Logano took advantage of the situation and put on a remarkable drive in the closing laps to hold off Blaney and win his third Cup Series title.
