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Logano is Penske perfect in Michigan 400

Image by LaBounty/LAT


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By: Kelly Crandall | June 10, 2019 5:53 PM


When Joey Logano took the checkered flag Monday night at Michigan, he praised his team for doing a “perfect job” in the FireKeepers Casino 400.

“Way to execute a race!” the reigning series champion exclaimed.

The No. 22 Team Penske group didn’t just execute, they dominated. Logano started from the pole, won Stage 1 (his sixth of the season), and led a race-high 163 of 203 laps. And with the win, Logano took over the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series points lead.




Jumping away on the overtime restart, Logano charged away to his second win of the season and third at Michigan, finishing ahead of Kurt Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Daniel Suarez, and Kyle Busch. The No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet of Kurt Busch took over second place at the white flag, but was unable to run down and challenge Logano for the win.

“I can’t tell you everything I learned, but you race this whole race, and you keep building that notebook up,” said Logano of the final restart. “What a great execution day from our team. Our race car was obviously very, very fast. Our pit crew is amazing. And TJ Majors, my spotter, spotted his butt off up there.

“We love coming up here to Michigan. There’s nothing like bringing a Ford to victory lane on their home turf — and Roger Penske’s as well. There’s no better feeling than that. This is a big win for us.”

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Logano was holding a comfortable gap on Truex and Kurt Busch who were working together in hopes of cutting down the distance when the caution flew with four laps to go. Erik Jones cut a tire and spun in Turn 2 to set up the overtime restart.

Runnerup for the second time this year, the finish was also the first top-five for Busch since Bristol back in April. It was his second top-10 finish in four races.

Kurt Busch was a fighting second, picking up his first top five finish since Bristol. Image by Jarrett/LAT


“That’s more than what I was hoping to see [with the] damage,” Busch said of his machine, which had hit the wall early in the day. “But I had a blast. That was the tightest I ever put my belts at the end of race because we got enough stage points today and I was like, ‘Hell with it, we don’t need to get anything but the win.’ And we got second today.

“Logano’s car was tough. I really wanted it to go green at the end with Truex; I was just going to push him straight through the 22. That was my best shot at it.”

Rounding out the top 10 were Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman, Ryan Blaney, and Alex Bowman. Harvick led 15 laps and recovered from a loose wheel that left him one lap down.




Austin Dillon won Stage 2. Defending race winner Clint Bowyer crashed out of the event on Lap 131.

There were 20 lead changes among 11 drivers and seven caution flags.

RESULTS


Joey Logano, Michigan, Team Penske, Monster Energy Cup, NASCAR

 

Logano a fighting second thanks to never-quit crew

Image by Jarrett/LAT


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By: Kelly Crandall May 26, 2019 10:36 PM


Joey Logano sure didn’t think he was going to finish second in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte the way the night had started. Or, more accurately, the way it started and progressed through not one, not two, but through the first three stages.

So when Logano crossed the finish line second to Martin Truex Jr., he radioed his team as much and then credited their never-quit attitude in his post-race interviews.

The No. 22 Team Penske Ford had been “junk,” he said, and needed massive adjustments from crew chief Todd Gordon and the group throughout the 600-mile race.

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“I can’t say the track came to us much; we did quite a few rounds on wedge bolts, track bar, air pressure,” said Logano, who didn’t lead a lap on Sunday night. “We fought as hard as possible, and that’s the advantage of having a 600-mile race: You have the opportunity to work on it, and we had a lot of cautions to try to fix it up.

“But, man, if you told me early in the race we’d finish second, I’d say that’s a dream. But when you finish second and see you’re that close to the lead … it hurts a little bit.

“Proud of the effort. Proud of the never-quit [approach], but dang it — [Truex] was right there, and I was right on his bumper. I knew the only way I was going to pass him was on the outside; I don’t think I was going to be able to clear him if I went down to the bottom, and I was pretty sure I was going to lose a spot. It’s the Coke 600 though — it’s such a big one and you want to win it so bad. Second stings. I thought we had a good shot when that caution came back out, gave me another chance; just didn’t quite get it.”




Logano and Truex burst through the traffic when the race restarted with five laps to go, Truex from third and Logano from sixth after being the first two drivers down pit road under the caution. By then, Logano had already hounded Truex for the race lead for several laps, but was watching the No. 19 Toyota drive away before the field was bunched back together when the caution flew on Lap 392.

David Ragan restarted as the race leader having stayed on track while Ryan Newman was second having taken just two tires. Logano and Truex had four fresh tires and made quick work of the competition, but Logano never mounted another challenge for the lead.

“[Re-starting] sixth, I wished I was closer to the front, but being on the outside row I thought I had a good shot,” Logano said. “When they were four-wide in front of me I went to push the 38 (Ragan) ahead and got there, but I just didn’t quite get clear of Truex to come all the way down the racetrack.

“The 38 ran really high and I thought he was gonna run in the middle, and I kind of misjudged it. That’s what just killed a little bit of momentum to where Martin had just enough momentum to clear me off that corner. At that point, I shoved him ahead to try to make the pass to the outside, but he defended well.”


Charlotte, Joey Logano, Team Penske, Monster Energy Cup, NASCAR