Logano wins at Kansas to clinch spot in finale

KANSASCITY, KAN. » Joey Logano spent the final 40- plus laps at Kansas Speedway keeping an eye on Kevin Harvick in his rear- view mirror.

Now, he can look ahead to the NASCAR Cup Series finale at Phoenix.

Using every bit of the track Sunday to hold off the winningest driver this season, Logano took the checkered flag on a cold, blustery Sunday to secure a spot in the championship round of the playoffs. Harvick was followed across by Alex Bowman and Brad Keselowski as postseason contenders swept the top four spots in the opener of the round of eight.

Harvick, who already has won nine times this season, kept pulling up to Logano’s bumper after the final restart for a caution brought out by Tyler Reddick. But he simply couldn’t make a pass stick as Logano moved all over the track to block him while taking advantage of lapped traffic that kept Harvick from making a clear run.

“We just needed to get off pit road first. It came down to controlling that restart,” Harvick said. “All our guys did a great job. We had a fast car. We moved all over the track. We weren’t the best behind somebody but I had a lot of options.”

Kokrak wins in Las Vegas

NORTH LAS VEGAS, NEV. » In his 10th season, in his 233rd tournament, Jason Kokrak can finally call himself a PGA Tour winner.

Kokrak earned every bit of it Sunday in the CJ Cup at Shadow Creek. He matched the best round of the tournament with an 8- under 64 to overcome a threeshot deficit at the start and win a duel on the back nine with Xander Schauffele.

The timing couldn’t be better. The CJ Cup moved from South Korea this year to Shadow Creek because of the COVID- 19pandemic. Kokrak is an ambassador for MGM Resorts, which owns the prestigious Tom Fazio design.

Mickelson goes 2 for 2 as senior

RICHMOND, VA .» Phil Mickelson became the third player and second this year to win his first two starts on the PGA Tour Champions, slamming the door on Mike Weir with a back- nine surge in the Dominion Energy Charity Classic.

Mickelson closed with a 7- under 65 to finish at 17- under 199, three strokes better than second- round leader Weir, the fellow 50- year- old left- hander who had a 71. Mickelson was a stroke off the tournament record set last year by Miguel Angel Jimenez.