Joey Logano had one of the fastest cars this past Sunday at Phoenix, especially early on in Stage 1. Logano started on the front row and took the lead away from William Byron. Then came Lap 18, when NASCAR penalized him for the previous restart.

Joey Logano is a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion. He last hoisted the Bill France Cup just four months ago in Phoenix. On Sunday, the Team Penske driver, who qualified second, started on the front row in his return to the desert.

Joey Logano already had an affinity for Phoenix Raceway. The Team Penske driver had won on the mile oval three times, including the 2022 Cup Series title, and had 15 top-10 finishes in 31 races since 2009.

It was elation for William Byron, who took the pole position for Sunday's Shriners Children's 500 at Phoenix, but it came at the expense of Joey Logano, who was knocked from what would have been Team Penske's 700th pole across all disciplines of racing.

Joey Logano was no fan of NASCAR's decision to penalize him at Sunday's Shriners Children's 500 in Phoenix. On Lap 18, the three-time Cup Series champion was hit with a restart violation that forced him to give up his lead and head towards the back of the pack.

William Byron, alongside Joey Logano on the front row, leads the NASCAR Cup Series field to the green flag at Phoenix Raceway.