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· Joey Logano started from the pole for the 20th time in his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career in Sunday afternoon’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway. The driver of the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Fusion led the opening 40 laps of the event before making his first pit stop of the afternoon. Logano had been relatively quiet on the radio during the first run, saying only that the Fusion had built a little free. Crew chief Todd Gordon elected to adjust with right rear air pressure and sent Logano back onto the track.

· Logano cycled back to the lead on lap 53. However, a caution flag at lap 57 would bring the leaders back to pit road with just over 20 laps remaining in the first stage. Gordon chose to put four tires on the Shell-Pennzoil Ford, while other teams took two tires. Logano restarted fifth but powered back to the front on lap 72. He held on to win Stage 1, his fourth stage win of the season.

· Logano led the opening laps of the second stage before pitting on lap 120. Unfortunately, he lost time leaving pit road when another car slowed, dropping Logano behind Kevin Harvick and teammate Ryan Blaney. Logano would ultimately finish third in Stage 2. Thanks to his win in Stage 1 and third-place in the second stage, Logano officially clinched a spot in the Round of 8.

· During a pit stop in the stage caution, the air hose was caught under the front splitter, a costly sequence that dropped Logano to the seventh position for the restart. He ran inside the top-10 before pitting with 50 laps remaining in the race. Crew chief Todd Gordon made a wedge adjustment, looking to give Logano added drivability in the upper groove.

· Logano made slight gains on the high-line soldiering on to an eighth-place finish.

 

quote

“We did a great job this round with two top-fives and a top-10. Today we won a stage and finished third in the other stage. We were scoring points, which is good enough to get you through these rounds, but I feel like this next round we are going to have to get a win to advance. Maybe they will have enough issues that you can build up enough points but I think we need to win. It was a solid weekend with the pole and stage win and I am proud of that. We just have to focus hard on getting more.”

 


Hollywood Casino 400