Logano on pole at Michigan again

BROOKLYN, Mich. Joey Logano is feeling some Michigan deja vu.

After winning from the pole in the June race at Michigan International Speedway, Logano won the pole again Friday in advance of Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400. Logano’s average lap speed of 201.698 mph topped Jimmie Johnson (201.523) and Denny Hamlin, putting a Ford, Chevrolet and Toyota in the top three.

“Track position is a big deal and pit stall No. 1 is a big deal,’’ said Logano, who gets first pick of a pit stall. “Obviously, this race is going to turn into another strategy fest. Neat to be able to start in front again here at Michigan.’’

Outside pole-sitter Johnson said track position always has been important since Michigan was repaved five years ago, so “We’ll take it.’’ The No. 48 team has been “stacking pennies,’’ he said, in an effort to find more speed.

IndyCar Series

FORT WORTH, Texas While James Hinchcliffe has been leading the same IndyCar race for 11 weeks, Will Power has been piling up wins and runner-up finishes.

There have been five other races completed during the unprecedented 2½-month rain delay of the Texas race (Firestone 600) that is set to resume Saturday night on lap 72. Power won three of those races and was the runnerup in the other two, moving the Team Penske driver from seventh to second in season points.

“It’s been a fantastic stretch of races. I don’t actually feel like I’m doing anything exceptional,” said Power, the 2014 IndyCar champion. “I’m just kind of doing my job and obviously the team is firing on all cylinders. … It hasn’t been doing anything like taking risks or anything. We’ve just been very methodical.”

When the Texas race was red-flagged because of rain after 71 of 248 scheduled laps on June 12, after having already been postponed a day by wet weather, Power was seventh in season points — 117 behind Penske teammate Simon Pagenaud.

Now back at the highbanked, 1½-mile Texas oval, Power is only 20 points behind his teammate and tied with a series-high four wins even while starting one fewer race. After the final 177 laps of the Firestone 600 are completed, there will be only two races left this season.