The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Logano takes advantage of crash, wins Clash
Joey Logano won the Clash at Daytona on Sunday, stealing a victory when leader Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski wrecked on the final lap. It was Logano’s first Clash victory in nine tries.
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 75-lap 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.
Elliott wins pole
Chase Elliott nipped Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the final qualifying lap to win his second straight pole for the Daytona 500. Elliott turned a lap at 192.872 mph to just edge Earnhardt’s speed of 196.864. Elliott and Earnhardt gave Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet a 1-2 front row for NASCAR’s biggest race.
The 21-year-old is the son of Hall of Fame driver and two-time Daytona 500 champion Bill Elliott. Elliott became the youngest Daytona 500 pole winner a year ago and proved in the No. 24 Chevy staring first was no fluke.
Elliott also made it three straight years for the No. 24 on the pole. Jeff Gordon won the pole in 2015 in his final season before he retired and turned the car over to Elliott.
Earnhardt had the speed beat in his triumphant return to NASCAR after he missed the second half of last season with a concussion. Elliott had just enough on the last qualifying attempt of the day to bump his teammate from the top spot and will lead the field to green. But a pole sitter has not finished in the top five in the last 15 years.
The rest of the field will be set Thursday in the two qualifying races.