Logano’s race for Chase gaining momentum
Pole-sitter edges Harvick, Martin sputters in Michigan with playoffs looming
BROOKLYN, MICH.— Joey Logano gave Ford a Sprint Cup sweep in Michigan and owner Roger Penske a chance to celebrate a victory in his home state.
Now Logano can start to envision a happy ending to what has been an eventful season for the 23-year-old driver.
“We’re close, we’re close,” Logano said. “What a great place to win, what a great time to win, being in Ford’s backyard.”
Logano boosted his chances of reaching the Chase for the Sprint Cup, winning for the first time this season in a fuel-mileage race at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday.
Logano and Kevin Harvick both breezed past Mark Martin with a little more than three laps to go in the 400-mile, 200-lap race. Martin had been trying to stretch fuel. When he faltered, Logano was able to hold off Harvick.
The win put Logano 13th in the standings, seven points behind Martin Truex Jr. for the second wild card.
It’s been an up-and-down year for Logano. He and teammate Brad Keselowski were docked 25 points each after NASCAR inspectors confiscated parts from the rear suspensions of their cars before the April 13 race at Texas. More recently, Logano has had to recover from back-to-back 40th-place showings at Daytona and Loudon, but now he’s right in the middle of a wild race for the final Chase spots.
“A roller-coaster, to say the least,” Logano said. “We’ve just got to keep that momentum going.”
Everything went according to plan at Michigan. Logano won the pole Friday and took Sunday’s race by a second over Harvick, who is safely in fourth in the standings. There are three races left before the Chase, and the jockeying for the final spots is just as muddled as it was before. Keselowski, the defending champion, is still eighth with 667 points, but Kurt Busch is now two points behind after a third-place showing.
Greg Biffle (663) sits 10th. Kasey Kahne (659) and Truex (653) are currently in line for the wild cards.
Points leader Jimmie Johnson lasted less than 60 laps Sunday before engine trouble knocked him out.