‘Idiot’ Logano bumps Byron to steal win, end drought
After William Byron squeezed him against the wall on a final restart, Joey Logano knew what he’d do if got the chance to regain the lead.
Logano bumped Byron from behind on the next-tolast lap to win the Goodyear 400 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway on Sunday. Byron hit the wall in Turn 3 and Logano went on to his first win of the season and first at the track.
“There’s something to be said for an angry race car driver,” said Logano, who broke a 40-race winless drought.
Logano, who started from the pole, had one of the strongest cars and was in front coming out of the pits before a restart with 25 laps left. But Byron, who started low, forced Logano into the wall and out of the lead.
“If someone’s going to be willing to do that to you, then the gloves are off,” he said.
Byron was not happy with the maneuver, calling Logano an “idiot” and a “moron” who has raced others questionably in his career.
The fans let the Team Penske driver know what they thought, booing the 2018 NASCAR champion when he got out of his car.
“I’ve been called a lot of things, a lot worse than moron,” Logano said.
Logano led 108 of the 293 laps and won for the first time since winning on the dirt at Bristol last year.
Tyler Reddick was second followed by Justin Haley, Kevin Harvick and Chase Elliott.
Byron fell to 13th. He said the restart was just close racing and Byron didn’t deserve a hard hit on the rear bumper so close to the end.
“He slammed me so hard, it knocked all the right side off the car and sent me into the corner,” Byron said. “He’s just a moron. He can’t win a race, so he does it that way.”
Reigning NASCAR champion Kyle Larson was out with engine failure after 112 laps. Past champions Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski also were out well before the finish.
Formula One
His first day racing around the new circuit in Miami was absolutely horrible. Then he made a mistake in qualifying that cost him a spot on the front row.
By the time race day rolled around, Max Verstappen had knocked it all out of his system.
Verstappen was explosive at the start Sunday and used a pair of aggressive passes to get past Ferrari and current championship leader Charles Leclerc. Once out front, the reigning world champion controlled the inaugural Miami Grand Prix for his third win in five races to start the season.