After Chase Elliott's victory at Charlotte last Sunday, the third round of the NASCAR playoffs was christened by Joey Logano.
The 2018 Cup Series champion held the lead out of a restart with 45 laps to go and never gave it up to a chasing Kevin Harvick to win the first of three races in the Round of 8 at Kansas Speedway on Sunday and clinch his spot in the Championship 4.
The victory was the third of the season for Logano, who began the day in fifth place within the field of eight.
Denny Hamlin beat out Kevin Harvick for the Stage 2 win, but he had to make an unscheduled pit in the final stage after he hit the wall and finished 15th.
Within a tight race at the bottom of the playoff standings, where Logano, Martin Truex Jr., Alex Bowman and Kurt Busch entered Sunday with just 16 points separating fifth and eighth (Busch), Truex had a setback before the race even began. His car failed pre-race inspection twice, so the 2017 champion, who hasn't won since June, began at the back of the pack but managed to finish ninth.
Busch had his engine quit in the final stage to end his day after 197 laps.
Clint Bowyer, who did not qualify for the Round of 8 last week after announcing his retirement, was honored by his fellow drivers before his last race at his home track by leading the pack at the start and placing 26th.
The Round of 8 continues next Sunday with the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 at Texas Motor Speedway before the championship field is determined in the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway on Nov. 1.
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