NASCAR world questions how Joey Logano didn't run out of gas before winning Ally 400 at Nashville

Last night Joey Logano might have pulled off one of the most impressive fuel strategies in the modern era of NASCAR. 110 laps at Nashville Superspeedway on a single fuel run when most cars could only make it roughly 80.

The end of the Ally 400 was a wild one. Five overtimes, lots of cautions. Is it possible that Paul Wolfe and Joey Logano pulled a fast one? Or was this one of the best fuel-saving performances that we have ever seen?

The 22 car passed inspection after the race. So, it appears that the fuel cell was legal. It still sent the NASCAR world into a frenzy.

Bozi Tatarevic, a motorsports writer and pit crew member, broke down the math on it. With how Logano raced near the back of the pack and all of the caution laps, it starts to make more sense.

The NASCAR Next Gen fuel cell spec is 20 gallons but you can find some that are closer to 21 gallons so let’s do some math on how much fuel the 22 needed to save to make it to the end.

— Bozi Tatarevic (@BoziTatarevic) July 1, 2024

Kelly Crandall, writer for RACER Mag, put it into further context.

A fuel window at Nashville Superspeedway is approximately 80 laps. Joey Logano went 110 laps on his final tank

— Kelly Crandall (@KellyCrandall) July 1, 2024

I think the NASCAR world can get carried away with complaining. Thinking about the ways in which a driver or team cheated or pulled one over on the sanctioning body. But, why not just enjoy these moments when they happen?

Cole Cusumano had a great reaction.

What an incredible victory!!! Joey Logano, guided by master strategists Paul Wolfe, SOMEHOW is able to get an immaculate restart and hold off Tyler Reddick for his first win of the season on minimal fuel!!! He even had enough for a quick burnout!!!#NASCAR | #Ally400

— Cole Cusumano (@Cole_Cusumano_) July 1, 2024

Then again, maybe Joey Logano and his crew had some trickery going on. The PRN broadcast made a joke shortly after the finish. Smokey probably is smiling down on the 22 team…

I'm not saying Joey Logano has an illegal gas tank but the fact that car's still running would make Smokey Yunick proud.

— PRN (@PRNlive) July 1, 2024

This is going to be one of those races that we talk about for a while. From the five overtimes to the insane fuel saving from Logano, it is one worth remembering.

Joey Logano addresses fuel saving after Ally 400 win

Joey Logano gets his first win of the season. After struggling for the entire season, only managing to win the All-Star Race, it didn’t feel like this would happen. Logano still hasn’t had an amazing season, but the win more than makes up for it.

“I thought okay, I was in good shape, I go into take the white into four and they threw the caution,” Logano said. “I still don’t know what the caution is for. Then they had to do it again and had not only do the fuel mileage piece of it but also you had Reddick with tires there at the end and he was able to make some pretty big moves and go down the backstretch it started stumbling, I was like ‘Oh no.’ Was able to throw a nice block on him.

“Even off of [Turn] 4 it stumbled and stumbled and it kind of just got a quick little bit of gas I guess and it kinda gave me a little squirt and it started stumbling again across the line. I just couldn’t get to the line quick enough. If that start/finish line is into [Turn] 1, we don’t win the race we finish third or fourth. Definitely as close as you can cut it for sure.”

Joey Logano and Paul Wolfe did it. They put together one heck of a strategy and it paid off in the end. The 22 is going to the playoffs.