Last weekend’s Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway marked the end of the 2022 season for NASCAR. With Zane Smith’s win at the Truck Series finale race and Joey Logano’s win at the Cup Series finale race last week, Ford Performance successfully secured two of the three 2022 NASCAR titles.
Ford started the 2022 season with Smith and rookie Austin Cindric's victory at Daytona International Speedway and then closed it with Smith and Logano’s Championship in their respective series.
In a recent interview, Mark Rushbrook, the global director for Ford Performance Motorsports, admitted that he is happy with the NASCAR program after having secured the Truck and Cup championship.
Rushbrook said:
“At the end of the day, at the end of the season, it’s the championship that matters. So to get the Truck championship and the Cup championship, that means so much. Great to see our young drivers excelling as well.”
He continued:
“So with Austin Cindric as a rookie to come in at the Daytona 500 and to win and Chase Briscoe getting a win in Phoenix early in the season, strength across our different teams and our drivers, we’re really happy with where our program is right now.”
Mark Rushbrook praised Joey Logano and Zane Smith for winning NASCAR titles in their respective series
Driving the #38 Ford for Front Row Motorsports, Zane Smith recovered late in the event to win the Truck Series Championship race and his first career title. Meanwhile, Team Penske driver Joey Logano clinched the Cup Championship in dominating fashion and earned his second series title. Both Smith and Logano were the only Ford drivers eligible to win the championship in their respective series.
Further in the interview, Mark Rushbrook praised Smith and Logano for their respective titles. He claimed that Smith had a strong future in the sport and called Logano a champion driver.
Rushbrook said:
“Zane being as strong as he was and, again, a dominant race that he had, as well, so he’s got a really strong future in the sport. That means so much to us because the Truck Series is important to us.”
He continued:
“And then to cap it off with the Cup Series and Joey and the championship, it’s been a great weekend. Joey, I don’t remember how many times he’s been in the Championship 4, but it seems like almost every year that he’s been, and he delivers. He’s a racer. He pays attention to every single detail, and especially getting locked in early like he did.”
Smith and Logano will return in NASCAR’s Truck and Cup Series next season, respectively, with their teams.