The non-points occasion was held at a monitor apart from Daytona for the primary time since its inception in 1981 on a made-from-scratch quarter-mile asphalt oval constructed contained in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Penske Ford driver Logano held off Kyle Busch’s Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to win the 150-lap race, which opened the 2022 season previous to the primary championship race at Daytona on 20 February.
The Dallara-built Subsequent-Gen automotive has undergone important growth over current months, with a number of outstanding figures together with Dale Earnhardt Jr describing its arrival as the most significant car change in NASCAR’s recent history.
PLUS: How NASCAR is gearing up for its “biggest change” in 2022
NASCAR’s govt vp and chief racing growth officer Steve O’Donnell mentioned that the brand new automotive “wasn’t a narrative”, though just a few drivers had been compelled out of the occasion by mechanical dramas.
“The Subsequent Gen automotive actually wasn’t a narrative, and I’m completely happy for that,” he mentioned.
“That is most likely the hardest take a look at we might have on the monitor that we arrange by way of sturdiness, beating and banging, driveline, various things.
“We’ll study from that. All in all, actually profitable debut for the automotive, as effectively.
“We’ll sort of look by way of each automotive, not solely these however the incidents we had, impacts on the wall, what broke.
Logano received the primary race of 2022 at LA’s Coliseum
Picture by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Images
“You noticed loads of vehicles that traditionally, if we ran this race final 12 months with the outdated automotive, would have been out with tyre rub, tyre injury.
“That’s a constructive. Any half or piece we see a problem, we’ll have a giant debrief, get on it, repair it. Nonetheless a bit of bit early on that one.”
O’Donnell mentioned he believed “this occasion delivered” amid important strain “on… actually the whole trade”.
“I believe loads of us within the trade forgot that we’re in a reasonably cool sport. It’s enjoyable to be part of.”
The architect of NASCAR’s high-profile coliseum race, its senior vp of technique and innovation Ben Kennedy, added: “I believe [it was] an unbelievable day for the game.
“Actually pleased with NASCAR, the trade, everybody coming collectively.”
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