Week 35 GFT NASCAR AI Driver Rankings: Logano Wins in Las Vegas, Ranked P1, Now in Championship 4

16 October 2022
By Bob Francis, Managing Editor
Go Full Throttle Racing News

LAS VEGAS — Joey Logano (Team Penske № 22 Ford Mustang) became the first driver to lock into the Championship 4 with an opportunity to race for the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series championship on Sunday during the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

With the win, Logano retakes P1 in the GFT NASCAR AI Driver Rankings with Chase Elliott losing one spot to P2 (surprising given his 21st place finish), Chastain holds at P3, and Denny Hamlin moves up 3 spots to P4.

In the NASCAR Cup Series Driver Points, sitting below the cut line:
P5 William Byron at -6
P6 Chase Briscoe at -9
P7 Ryan Blaney at -11
P8 Christopher Bell at -23

Week 35 of the NASCAR GFT Top 25 AI Driver Rankings following the NASCAR Cup Series South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 16, 2022 (Image: GFT Digital / gofullthrottle.net)

“What a great car, the Penske cars were all fast today,” said Logano, who now has three wins in 2022 and 30 in his 15-year career in the NASCAR Cup Series.

“Oh man, all you want to do is get to the Championship 4 before the season starts and race for the championship and we‘ve got the team to do it. I don‘t see why we can‘t win it at this point. Things are looking really good for us.

“A lot of adversity we fought though in the last 50 laps or so. I thought we were going to win then kinda fell out, got some tires and racing Ross was fun. He did a good job air-blocking me and I was just trying to be patient but eventually, I was like, ‘I‘ve got to go here.‘ “

Credit: LAS VEGAS, NEVADA — OCTOBER 16: Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Cup Series South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 16, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

Credit: LAS VEGAS, NEVADA — OCTOBER 16: Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, celebrates after winning the NASCAR Cup Series South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 16, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

Logano locks into the Championship 4 (Image Credit: nascar.com)

Week 35 of the Go Full Throttle NASCAR Cup Series Box Score (Image: GFT Digital / gofullthrottle.net)

Ford’s 12th win of the year, 6 for Team Penske
Here are the updated GFT Box Scores after Logano’s win Sunday:
Chevrolet = 19 wins
Ford = 12 wins
Toyota = 7 wins

NASCAR announced Tuesday that it suspended Bubba Wallace after his actions in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

**Story Updated after Penalty Report:

Bubba Wallace suspended after Las Vegas incident

NASCAR announced Tuesday that it suspended Bubba Wallace after his actions in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Wallace was suspended for one race after he crashed Kyle Larson at Lap 94 of the South Point 400 and proceeded to shove Larson, both violations of Sections 4.3.A and 4.4.C & E of the NASCAR Member Code of Conduct laid out in the NASCAR Rule Book. Rule 4.4.C lists “intentionally wrecking or spinning another vehicle, whether or not that vehicle is removed from Competition as a result” as one of five member actions that could result in a penalty.