Sunday, April 29, 2018

Logano Returns to Victory Lane with Talladega Win

Originally written for CLNS Media.


Joey Logano won the Geico 500 from Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday afternoon.

Logano led a race-high 70 laps, and led a group of Ford drivers who dominated most of the race.  Fords made up six of the top seven spots, and Logano said his victory was due to the Ford drivers working together.
Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images

“Ford teamwork is what did it today,” Logano said.  “Not only with the Team Penske Fords, but all the Fords out there.”

Logano won on Sunday for the first time in a year.  Following his victory last year in Richmond, Logano’s car was found to be illegal by NASCAR and the win could not be used to get into the playoffs.  A string of bad luck followed and Logano missed the playoffs.  With his win on Sunday, Logano punched his ticket to this year’s playoffs. 

Logano said it was a weight off his shoulder to return to victory lane.

“Man, it feels so good to be back in victory lane,” Logano said.  “It feels so good, we don’t have to worry about the playoffs thing; we’re in.”

Kurt Busch was running second in the closing laps, but after getting separated from his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick, his plan to challenge for the victory fell apart.

Busch said he should have done something different in the closing laps to try and pick up the victory.
“I didn’t quite make the right move and it’s a shame,” Busch said.  “It was one of the best Fords I’ve ever had.”

“My plan was to roll with Kevin until the last lap and then slingshot by him on the outside.  Everyone’s just running side-by-side trying to get everything they can…and it didn’t quite materialize.”

Unofficial results:
1. Joey Logano
2. Kurt Busch
3. Chase Elliott
4. Kevin Harvick
5. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
6. David Ragan
7. Aric Almirola
8. Alex Bowman
9. Ryan Newman
10. Daniel Suarez
11. Chris Buescher
12. Jimmie Johnson
13. Kyle Busch
14. Denny Hamlin
15. Ty Dillon
16. Darrell Wallace Jr.
17. Kasey Kahne
18. Ryan Blaney
19. Matt DiBenedetto
20. DJ Kennington
21. Cole Whitt
22. Brendan Gaughan
23. Timothy Peters
24. Gray Gaulding
25. Ross Chastain
26. Martin Truex Jr.
27. Joey Gase
28. Jamie McMurray
29. William Byron
30. Paul Menard
31. Clint Bowyer
32. Michael McDowell
33. Brad Keselowski
34. AJ Allmendinger
35. Austin Dillon
36. Timmy Hill
37. Reed Sorenson
38. Trevor Bayne
39. Erik Jones
40. Kyle Larson

Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

No comments:

Post a Comment