JL-VEGAS-BANNER

race review

• Joey Logano started fifth and battled for the lead before an unscheduled pit stop from damage suffered on a Stage 2 restart dropped the team two laps down and into an upward battle for the remainder of the night. Logano showed a lot of speed throughout and used that late in the race to recover for a 14th-place result, salvaging much needed points with two difficult races ahead to set the Round of 8.
• After starting fifth, Logano spent most of the opening laps running in the third position, battling a Pennzoil Ford Mustang that was too free. After the first stop of the race, Logano reported he was still too free, but maintained in the second position. The No. 22 Ford finished the opening stage in the second position despite the loose condition continuing on. The team adjusted with air pressure and trackbar on the stage ending stop.
• At the start of the second stage, Logano was battling with the No. 18 for the race lead when the No. 11 made a late move to the inside, putting the leaders three wide. The move resulted in left side contact and a tire rub, sending Logano to pit road for an unscheduled stop. Logano continued to battle through the stage trying to regain the track position and the lost lap, but ultimately finished in the 27th position, one lap down to the race leader.
• Logano narrowly missed being the recipient of the free pass early in the final stage. The team then elected to pit for four tires and resume their fight for the free pass instead of taking the wave-around and risking being trapped two laps down late in the race. Logano ran in the free pass position until the race leaders began pitting, then another untimely caution flag forced the team to choose pitting or waiving around.
• A late caution flag finally provided the free pass for Logano and the No. 22 Pennzoil team. Logano restarted in the 25th position, rallying forward to the 19th spot before another caution with eight laps remaining bunched the field up once again.
• Logano used the late race restart to advance the 14th position, salvaging a good finish after early race problems. Logano and the No. 22 team head to Talladega Superspeedway next week, fifth in points, 11 markers above the cutline to advance into the Round of 8.

 

quote

“Unfortunately, we got a little damage there and had to pit for the left-rear tire. You can’t afford to blow a left-rear tire in the playoffs and back the thing in the fence and shoot yourself in the foot. We had to pit and then just no cautions, and then the one time I had a shot at it the 48 just got me, so that was a little unfortunate. Eventually, we got the lucky dog and went around with our Pennzoil Mustang and drove back to 14th. I felt like that second stage, not scoring any stage points there hurts, but we’re still above the cutline and we’ll head on to Talladega and see how that one goes.”

 


South Point 400