The NASCAR playoff finale in Phoenix was an exciting affair, which ended with two teammates battling it out for the 2024 Cup Series crown.
Joey Logano joined some elite company after crossing the line to win a third championship, fending off Ryan Blaney.
It was delight for Team Penske who finished the year with cars occupying the top two spots in the drivers’ standings.
It wasn’t to be for 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick on Sunday, who although was seen as an outsider for the title, just could not manage anything special in Phoenix.
Michael Jordan ‘not real happy’ with 23XI Racing pace during NASCAR playoff finale
The future is uncertain for 23XI Racing currently, with team co-owner and driver Denny Hamlin refusing to reveal whether they will be fielding cars at the Daytona 500 next year.
Michael Jordan was watching on in Phoenix as Reddick attempted to claim an unlikely championship for his team.
During the NBC Sports broadcast, former NASCAR driver Jeff Burton revealed why the ex-NBA star looked upset on the sidelines with plenty of the race left to unfold.
READ MORE: Joey Logano shares the ‘only reason’ why Roger Penske hired him for NASCAR drive
“He’s not real happy right now because he can see that he [Reddick] doesn’t have the pace that they need right now. He’s got great clean air, he couldn’t have a better race track than what he has right here.
“Byron, Blaney and Logano had gotten away from him. He’s got great clean air, but he just cannot make the pace.”
Reddick couldn’t pull it together when it mattered most
Of the top four drivers in the championship, Reddick ended the year with the most stage wins, laps led, and top 10 finishes.
The result was a fourth-place finish, just nine points behind eventual winner Logano, who had the least top fives of anyone inside the top nine of the drivers’ standings.
It goes to show how instead of being a marathon, the NASCAR Cup Series is more of a sprint – where being fast when it matters most late in the championship achieves championships.
For so much of the year, Logano wasn’t really in contention, but he popped up and delivered when it mattered most.
It’s left some fans calling for the format to be adjusted, but whether that happens after 10 years under the current rule, is a question that will be answered over the off-season.