The 2026 YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, which occurred this past Sunday, October 25, featured two multi-car accidents that collected a multitude of competitors, including those competing in the NASCAR Cup Series’ Chase. Perhaps, no contender experienced a wild ride than Joey Logano, who ended up on his hood during the latest multi-car accident while contending for the victory in the closing laps.
Logano, who won the second stage period and led nine times for 23 laps, was racing in the top-five mark and was drafting the lapped competitor of Ross Chastain while also being drafted by Carson Hocevar through the tri-oval with six laps remaining. The on-track escalation escalated when Logano received a strong shove from Hocevar that got the former loose and veering across the track before he hit the outside wall head-on. After making contact with the wall and being hit by Chase Briscoe, Logano’s No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse entry went airborne and rolled over on its hood.
With a total of 15 competitors, including Logano, wrecking across the frontstretch, Logano’s upside-down entry slid for a majority of the frontstretch and past the start/finish line before it came to a rest while still rolled over below the racing surface nearing the first turn. With the event placed in a red flag period for more than 13 minutes, the AMR safety crew went to work on methodically rolling Logano’s wrecked entry back right-side up before the driver exited under his own power and received a standing ovation from the fans who attended Sunday’s event.
Logano’s wild ride during this past weekend’s event at Talladega marks the Middletown, Connecticut native’s third time rolling over during a Cup Series event throughout his career and second time at Talladega, with his first one occurring in April 2021 while he was contending at the front on the final lap of the first stage period. Previously, Logano barrel-rolled seven times at Dover Motor Speedway in September 2009.
“It looks like I just got a little push at the wrong spot there [based on the replay],” Logano said after being released from the infield care center on NBC. “And then, at this moment [when I flip], it was very much a ’Talladega Nights’ [moment], like, ‘Oh no, I’m upside down. This is not good,’ moment.”
In the aftermath of Logano’s first Talladega flip in 2021, he expressed his frustrations that the roll bar of his entry was pressed against his helmet when his rolled entry impacted the racing surface while upside-down and was nearly hit by an oncoming Bubba Wallace. This season, Logano reported no inquiries towards any of the roll cages and he was very direct in praising the safety innovations and enhancements made by NASCAR that allowed him to emerge uninjured.
“I can’t thank the safety crew enough,” Logano said. “They did an amazing job of flipping [the car] over. The car did a great job. Last time I flipped, [the roll cage] was crushed on my head. This time, I don’t think any of the roll cages crushed at all. I appreciate what NASCAR’s done. Thank you and the safety team for getting me out of there safely. [I’m] Just happy to be alive.”
With a 34th-place result in the 2026 YellaWood 500 at Talladega, Logano, who notched 12 stage points and win the second stage period prior to the rollover accident, managed to gain a spot in the 2026 Chase standings as he overtook teammate Ryan Blaney, who wrecked during the first multi-car accident while trying to draft Logano, for fifth place in the standings. Compared to a 44-point deficit Logano had prior to Talladega, he trails by 100 as he has two-scheduled events remaining to maintain his hopes for a fourth Cup Series championship.
With Talladega Superspeedway in the rearview mirror, Joey Logano’s 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season resumes next Sunday, November 1, at Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia, for the Xfinity 500. The event’s broadcast time is slated to commence at 2 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN Radio, SiriusXM and HBO MAX.
