Logano takes advantage of late crash, wins Clash at Daytona

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. » The real clash at Daytona came when Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski wrecked on the final lap.

That was just the opening Joey Logano needed to get Ford to victory lane again at a superspeedway.

Logano stole a win in the Clash at Daytona on Sunday, driving around the crashing leaders to land NASCAR’s first trophy of Speedweeks. It was Ford’s fourth consecutive win at a restrictor-plate track, and with four additional cars in the fold thanks to Stewart-Haas Racing’s move from Chevrolet, the manufacturer known for its blue-oval logo might just be the one to beat heading into the season-opening Daytona 500.

“One car alone was not going to win this race,” Logano said. “Didn’t have a shot just because the (Joe Gibbs Racing) cars and the Toyotas were way too committed to each other. It’s going to take a lot more than one guy to beat them.”

Hamlin led much of the 75lap exhibition event, which was postponed a day because of rain, but lost control while trying to block Keselowski just after taking the white flag for the final lap. Logano slid by on the outside as Hamlin and Keselowski slowed.

It was Logano’s first Clash victory in nine tries and his third overall win at Daytona International Speedway. This one came in NASCAR’s first race of Speedweeks.

“It’s a momentum builder, that’s what this is,” said Logano, the 2015 Daytona 500 champion.

Kyle Busch finished second, following by Alex Bowman and Danica Patrick. Bowman drove the No. 88 Chevrolet in place in Dale Earnhardt Jr., who felt Bowman earned the opportunity because he filled in for Earnhardt (concussion) last year.

“It means a lot to have driven this car for Team Hendrick,” Bowman said. “It’s been a lot of fun, made a lot of memories. Hope to do it again someday.”

Harvick was fifth, followed by Keselowski and Clash rookies Chase Elliott and Daniel Suarez.

Hamlin and his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates looked like they would celebrate a clean sweep for Toyota. Hamlin, Suarez, Matt Kenseth and Busch were running 1-2-3-4 down the stretch. But Keselowski, Logano and new Ford driver Kevin Harvick teamed up to break up the four-car pack.

Keselowski got a big run down low and looked like he would move to the front, but Hamlin swerved to block him and created contact that allowed Logano swipe a win.

“I knew the only way we were going to beat those Gibbs cars — they’re so good at being a team — was to break them up,” Logano said. “You’ve got to be a better team than they are. We showed that Ford was the better team today. We were able to break them up and get ourselves up front and make the big move up there at the end.”