"It's tongue hanging out, sliding the car around": Joey Logano reveals the challenge of keeping pace with Shane Van Gisbergen days after Sonoma race 

Days after last Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway, reigning Cup champion Joey Logano recalled racing against race-winner Shane van Gisbergen. According to what he told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Gisbergen’s performance was an absolute overkill on his fellow race car drivers.

What makes Gisbergen’s case even more impressive is that the Auckland native is in his rookie season in the NASCAR Cup Series. Including his triumph at Sonoma, the Trackhouse Racing ace now has three wins to his name. Notably, all of them have come on road courses.

A week before the race at Sonoma, Gisbergen won the Grant Park 165 at the Chicago Road Course, marking his second win of the 2025 season. Reflecting on his usual dominance at Chicago, where he made his Cup debut in 2023, Joey Logano said,

“When we go to Chicago and he waxes everyone’s butt, I can somewhat see how that’s possible. None of us run street courses, he has run street courses, he’s really precise with his vehicle and being ridiculously close to the walls. Being able to do that while carrying speed; that’s a two-piece thing. That is his standout at Chicago; got it.”

But going to Sonoma, Logano thought that he would have a better chance against the former Supercars icon. But in the end, all he could salvage was a P9. Gisbergen won with a 1.128-second margin over runner-up and Joe Gibbs Racing newcomer, Chase Briscoe.

“Gosh, dang it, he was fast again! We can go as fast as fast as him for maybe a lap or two but it’s tongue hanging out, sliding the car around, all you got to do it. And he’s in there just talking, hanging out, watching you,” Logano added.

Next up for Joey Logano is the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Dover Motor Speedway. Scheduled for Sunday, July 20, the 400-lap event happens to be the 21st race of the season.

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Joey Logano to hit a major career milestone at Dover Motor Speedway

Joey Logano will make his 600th career start in the NASCAR Cup Series this coming Sunday at Dover Motor Speedway. Piloting the No. 20 for Joe Gibbs Racing, Logano began driving full time in the series back in 2009. Today, he drives the No. 22 Ford Mustang for Team Penske.

Logano was recently asked about his feelings going into Sunday’s race. At first glance, it just seemed like another start for the three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion.

“But then, when you start thinking about it, to be able to be around in a sport as an athlete competing at a top level for 16-plus years, and hitting 600 starts, it’s pretty incredible to have a career that long,” Logano said. “It’s something that I take some pride in. I’m proud of that, to be able to hit this marker.”

“It’s a lot of starts. I remember my 300th start, and I think it was [Matt] Kenseth at the time, maybe it was [Martin] Truex as well, that weren’t too far from 600 and I thought, ‘Geez, that’s double the amount of races as me. That’s crazy.’ But here I am, so it went by pretty quick,” he added with a smile.

Fans can watch the action unfold on TNT Sports, 2 pm ET onwards, or listen to live radio updates on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Joey Logano will enter the race 11th in the driver standings with 499 points to his name.