Joey Logano held off Roger Penske Racing teammate Brad Keselowski in the closing laps to win the NASCAR Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Sunday in front of an estimated crowd of 55,000.

Joey Logano, right, and Carlos Maurer, president of Shell Lubricants Americas, hold the first place trophy after Logano won the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Racers compete in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Joey Logano (22) passes Jimmie Johnson (48) in the final laps of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Joey Logano (22) celebrates with a burnout after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Racers compete in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

The United States Air Force Thunderbirds fly over Las Vegas Motor Speedway before the start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Bubba Wallace, left, watches the United States Air Force Thunderbirds make a pass above Las Vegas Motor Speedway before the start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Erik Jones (20) leads a pack of racers during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Jazz Lapare-Guzman, 4, waves her flag on pit row before the start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Ty Dillon (13) leads a pack of racers during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Jimmie Johnson signs autographs before the start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Racers compete in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Attendees take a break under the bleachers during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Ryan Blaney (12) leads a pack of racers during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Max Suchoski waits to get autographs before the start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Kyle Busch (18) and Austin Dillon (3) compete for position around turn one during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Troy Bergeron waits to get autographs before the start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Racers line up to start the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Robert Chavez carries son Ray, 5, in pit row before the start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Brad Keselowski (2), Ryan Preece (47), Michael McDowell (34) and Chris Buescher (37) compete for position during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Shane O'Toole, left, and Bryan Baker take a photo with showgirls at the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Fans pack Las Vegas Motor Speedway to watch the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Chase Elliott (9) competes in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Attendees walk on pit row before the start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Racers compete in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

The United States Air Force Thunderbirds prepare to do a flyover at Las Vegas Motor Speedway before the start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Brad Keselowski (2) walks to the podium to be announced before the start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (17) leads a pack of racers during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

The Pit crew for Matt Tifft change the tires on the #36 car during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Joey Logano (22) and Kevin Harvick (4) fight for position in the final laps of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

Joey Logano (22) passes Jimmie Johnson (48) in the final laps of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Pennzoil 400 on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, in Las Vegas. (Benjamin Hager Review-Journal) @BenjaminHphoto

The “package” finally arrived Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and it was Joey Logano who made a special delivery at the Pennzoil 400.

Much of the prerace conversation was about the first comprehensive application of NASCAR’s new high downforce package that is supposed to prevent runaway victories on the intermediate ovals, such as Kevin Harvick’s in last year’s spring race at LVMS.

Mission accomplished.

Logano held off a last-lap charge by Team Penske teammate Brad Keselowski to earn his 22nd career victory and first in 12 Las Vegas starts in front of an estimated crowd of 55,000. Driving a Pennzoil-sponsored Ford in a Pennzoil-sponsored race made it all the sweeter, said the 28-year-old reigning series champion.

“That was more intense than I wanted it to be,” Logano said of the .236-second margin of victory and taking a two-point lead over Harvick in the season standings. “There’s been plenty of times here where we’ve led a lot of laps — by the stats this is probably our best racetrack, or close to it. (But) we’d never won, and that’s the most important stat to have.

“Usually something happens during the last run and Brad gets a little better and he becomes the fastest car and wins. He’s done that here plenty of times, and I looked in my mirror and said, ‘Oh my gosh, this is happening again, I can’t believe it.’ ”

Kyle Busch, who was bidding for a weekend sweep after winning the Truck and Xfinity series races on his hometown track, finished third. Older brother Kurt led several laps during the final race stage and finished fifth behind pole-sitter and fourth-place finisher Harvick.

It comes to pass

It was a victory for Logano and a victory for the new rules package, he said, despite criticism on social media that it looked more like a typical Las Vegas race than a dramatic improvement.

“It’s intense, you can’t get away, you’re constantly looking around — mentally I’m exhausted right now,” Logano said of the downforce package, from a driver’s vantage point. “I thought it was as entertaining as could be. It’s not very often where you’re going to have a green flag run that long and have a finish that close between three cars.

“People love to talk about negative stories,” he said of blowback on Twitter. “I don’t understand it. I’m sick of seeing negative stories because people on Twitter are writing something that makes them feel better.”

Perhaps the race, which was completed without a yellow flag other than the mandatory ones after the first two stages, didn’t pass the eye test with “Twitter trolls,” as Logano referred to them. But from a statistical viewpoint, the downforce package was a big success. There were 47 green-flag passes for the lead, and 3,345 passes overall, both Las Vegas records.

“I don’t know that you’re ever going to achieve what everybody wants to achieve,” a cantankerous Kyle Busch said moments after the checkered flag. “Everybody has different agendas, everybody has different opinions.

“It is what it is. It’s called racing. You either like racing or you don’t. Watch it for what it is. Enjoy it for what it is.”

Contact Ron Kantowski at rkantowski@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0352. Follow @ronkantowski on Twitter.