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Win the Race or Win the Day? What Texas Taught Us About Points

 

If you watched the Texas race this weekend, you saw all the usual chaos—fast cars, tire strategy, late-race cautions—but buried in the box score was the real story: The guy who scored the most points didn’t even make the podium.

 

Yeah. Let that sink in.

 

Kyle Larson, who didn’t finish top three, walked away from Texas as the biggest point-earner of the day. Thanks to a 4th place in Stage 1 and a Stage 2 win, Larson left with more points than anyone—even the race winner.

 

The Numbers Don’t Lie

Kyle Larson: Finished outside the top 3, but with strong stage finishes, he walked away with 50 total points.

 

Joey Logano: Race winner, but quiet stages, scored 42 points.

 

Ross Chastain: Came home 2nd, but earned only 35 points.

 

Tyler Reddick: Finished outside the top 20, but thanks to runner-up finishes in both stages, still scored more points (34) than 5th place Erik Jones (33).

 

So what gives? Does the end even matter?

 

Yes… and No.

In terms of regular season points, stage performance is absolutely crucial. Larson had a bigger day on paper than Logano, and Reddick outscored a bunch of guys who finished ahead of him. That’s the power of the stage system—rewarding consistency and early dominance, not just late-race fireworks.

 

But here’s the twist: Joey Logano still walked away with the biggest prize—5 playoff points for the win.

 

Those 5 points follow him through every round of the playoffs. Larson’s 50 points look nice on a spreadsheet, but the 17 points he earned from the stages won’t carry the same weight once the postseason kicks in (Larson did collect one championship point for his Stage 2 win). Same for Reddick—he got his points, but no one’s hoisting a trophy for a pair of stage runner-ups and finishing 21st.

 

So What Really Matters?

If you’re fighting for a playoff spot or trying to stay above the cut line, stage points can keep you alive. Just ask Reddick or someone hovering around 15th in the standings. But if you're gunning for a championship? The checkered flag is still the ultimate currency.

 

Texas proved it: You can win the points battle and still lose the war.

 

Larson was the top scorer. Reddick played the stage game to perfection. But it’s Joey Logano who added 5 playoff points and took home the trophy. In this format, being there at the end still matters most—especially when that end comes in Phoenix.