Logano focused on title chase with Kenseth out
Fort Worth, Texas — Joey Logano arrived at Texas with a clear conscience, an easy smile and a new focus after being intentionally wrecked by Matt Kenseth last weekend.
Kenseth's two-race suspension begins Sunday after his appeals were rejected. Logano said the incident at Martinsville when he was leading might not have been such a bad thing.
"Our team is more fired up than ever, I'm more focused than ever, I'm pretty pumped up about being here at the race track," Logano said Friday. "We've still got plenty of confidence."
Logano is last among the eight drivers still in contention for the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. He had won three consecutive races and was leading with 47 laps left when he was wrecked by Kenseth as payback from an incident three races earlier.
NASCAR suspended Kenseth, so Erik Jones will be in the No. 20 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing for Sunday's race. Kenseth's probation was reduced from six months to the end of the year, but he remains suspended and promised Thursday to race as he always has going forward.
With Logano qualifying fourth and Jones sixth, they will start nose-totail Sunday. Brad Keselowski earned the pole, and will be on the front row with Kevin Harvick, the defending Chase champion who is currently fourth in the standings.
Asked if he felt the penalties against Kenseth were just, Logano said that wasn't his decision.
"NASCAR looked at it the way they needed to, and they made the decision they felt was right," Logano said. "Our chase, we're not out of it by no means. We've got plenty of time to get ourselves back in. I feel confident we can get it done."
Logano again stood firm Friday in his stance about what happened when he wrecked Kenseth at Kansas Speedway, saying it was a product of both drivers racing hard for the win. Logano won, and Kenseth needed a victory to advance to the third round of NASCAR's playoffs.
"That was a racing thing, what happened in Kansas," Logano said. "That was not the way that you ever want to see a race end. ... But when I look at it, and the more I looked out, it's a racing thing, it just happened. It's unfortunate, but I would understand if the same thing had happened to me."
When Kenseth returned to the Martinsville track last week in a wrecked car, he was nine laps down. He drove Logano's car into the wall as Logano tried to pass him. Fans cheered when Kenseth slammed into Team Penske's No. 22 Ford.
"Was I surprised to see the fans' reaction CLASS L Qualifying Round Monday, Nov. 9 No. 17 Hamden (7-8-1-0) at No. 16 NFA (65-2-2), No. 18 Amity (6-8-2-0) at No. 15 Newtown (8-6-1-1), 4:30 p.m. First Round Wednesday, Nov. 11 Upper Bracket NFA-Hamden winner at No. 1 Glastonbury (14-0-1-0); No. 9 Greenwich (10-5-0-1) at No. 8 Simsbury (11-5-0-0), 5 p.m.; No. 13 Trumbull (9-6-1-0) at No. 4 Norwalk (12-30-0), 7 p.m.; No. 12 Ridgefield (10-6-0-0) at No. 5 Cheshire (11-2-2-1), 6 p.m. Lower Bracket Newtown-Amity winner at No. 2 Conard (15-1-0-0), 5 p.m.; No. 10 Staples (9-5-1-0) at No. 7 South Windsor (11-4-0-1); No. 14 Newington (8-6-1-1) at No. 3 Darien (15-10-0); No. 11 NewMilford (8-4-1-2) at No. 6 Wilton (12-4-0-0). Note: Quarterfinals are Nov. 13-14 (TBA), semifinals are Nov. 17-18 (TBA) and final is Saturday, Nov. 21 at Wethersfield (TBA). CLASS M First Round Tuesday, Nov. 10 Upper Bracket No. 16 Brookfield (6-9-0-1) at No. 1 Barlow (14-1-1-0), 5:30 p.m.; No. 9 Bethel (11-3-1-1) at No. 8 Nonnewaug (12-3-0-1); No. 13 Guilford (8-7-1-0) at No. 4 Avon (12-2-0-1); No. 12 Pomperaug(9-6-0-0) at No. 5 Farmington (12-3-0-0), 4 p.m. Lower Bracket No. 15 Windsor (6-8-1-1) at No. 2 East Lyme (13-2-1-0), 6:30 p.m.; No. 10 Branford (103-2-1) at No. 7 New Canaan (12-3-1-0), 6 p.m.; No. 14 Woodstock (7-9-0-0) at No. 3 Lauralton Hall (13-2-0-1); No. 11 Sacred Heart-Hamden (10-6-0-0) at No. 6 Hand (12-3-1-0), 7 p.m. Note: Quarterfinals are Nov. 11-12 (TBA), semifinals are Nov. 17-18 (TBA) and final is Saturday, Nov. 21 at Wethersfield (TBA) CLASS S First Round Tuesday, Nov. 10 Upper Bracket No. 1 Thomaston (15-1-0-0) bye; No. 9 Killingly (11-2-2-1) at No. 8 Lewis Mills(12-3-0-1); No. 13 NW Catholic (7-7-1-1) at No. 4 Stonington (12-1-3-0), 6:30 p.m.; No. 12 Canton (8-5-2-0) at No. 5 North Branford (13-3-0-0), 3 p.m. Lower Bracket No. 15 Stafford (5-8-3-0) at No. 2 Immaculate (13-0-3-0); No. 10 Valley Regional (11-3-0-2) at No. 7 Enfield (12-3-1-0), 3 p.m.; No. 14 Old Saybrook (7-9-0-0) at No. 3 Haddam-Killingworth (14-2-0-0); No. 11 Shepaug Valley (10-6-0-0) at No. 6 Granby (12-3-1-0), 3:30 p.m. Note: Quarterfinals are Nov. 12 (TBA), semifinals are Nov. 17-18 (TBA) and final is Saturday, Nov. 21 at Wethersfield (TBA).
VOLLEYBALL (All games 6 p.m. unless noted) CLASS LL First Round Monday, Nov. 9 Upper Bracket No. 17 Staples (13-7) at No. 16 Shelton (126); No. 25 NFA (8-10) at No. 8 Newington (16-4); No. 24 Hall (9-11) at No. 9 Fairfield Ludlowe (14-4), 5:30 p.m.; No. 20 Newtown (11-8) at No. 13 Trumbull (14-6); No. 21 Kennedy (10-10) at No. 12 West Haven (14-6). Lower Bracket No. 18 Stamford (12-8) at No. 15 Fairfield Warde (13-6); No. 23 Bristol Central (9-11) at No.10 Greenwich (13-4); No. 19 New Britain (12-8) at No. 14 Simsbury (13-6); No. 22 New Milford (10-10) at No. 11 South Windsor (15-5). Second Round Thursday, Nov. 12 Upper Bracket Staples-Shelton winner at No. 1 Darien (170); NFA-Newington winner vs. Hall-Ludlowe winner; Newtown-Trumbull winner at No. 4 Cheshire (16-2); Kennedy-West Haven winner at No. 5 Glastonbury (17-3). Lower Bracket Stamford-Warde winner at No. 2 Amity (18-1); Bristol Central-Greenwich winner at No. 7 McMahon (16-4); New Britain-Simsbury winner at No. 3 Southington (16-2); New Milford-South Windsor winner at No. 6 Ridgefield (16-3). CLASS L First Round Monday, Nov. 9 Upper Bracket No. 17 Woodstock (12-7) at No. 16 Branford (13-7); No. 20 Lauralton Hall (10-10) at No. after something like that happened last week? Yes, I was," Logano said. "I was disgusted by it. It's not what any driver would expect out of it." 13 Naugatuck (14-6); No. 21 Maloney (9-9) at No. 12 Brookfield (13-5). Lower Bracket No. 18 Mercy (11-8) at No. 15 Hand (12-6); No. 23 Hartford Public (8-12) at No. 10 East Lyme(14-4); No. 19 Sacred Heart-Hamden (10-8) at No. 14 Avon (14-6); No. 22 Bunnell (9-11) at No. 11 E.O. Smith (14-5). Second Round Thursday, Nov. 12 Upper Bracket Woodstock-Branford winner at No. 1 RHAM (18-0); No. 9 Pomperaug (15-4) at No. 8 Guilford (16-4); Lauralton Hall-Naugatuck winner at No. 4 Barlow (16-2); Maloney-Brookfield winner at No. 5 Farmington (16-2). Lower Bracket Mercy-Hand winner at No. 2 Fitch (18-1); Hartford Public-East Lyme winner at No. 7 Platt (16-3); Sacred Heart-Avon winner at No. 3 Torrington (17-2); Bunnell-E.O. Smith winner at No. 6 Bristol Eastern (16-2). Note: Quarterfinals are Nov. 14 (TBA), semifinals are Nov. 19 (TBA) and final is Saturday, Nov. 21 at Berlin, 4 p.m. CLASS M First Round Monday, Nov. 9 Upper Bracket No. 17 Prince Tech (10-10) at No. 16 Tolland (10-10); No. 25 Rockville (8-12) at No. 8 NW Regional(12-6); No. 24 Kaynor Tech (8-11) at No. 9 Nonnewaug (11-6); No. 20 Suffield (9-11) at No. 13 St. Joseph (12-8); No. 21 Sheehan (9-11) at No. 12 Weston (12-8), 6:30 p.m. Lower Bracket No. 18 Haddam-Killingworth (10-10) at No. 15 Plainville (10-9); No. 23 Foran (8-10) at No. 10 Plainfield (12-8); No. 19 Montville (910) at No. 14 Lewis Mills (11-8); No. 22 Berlin (8-10) at No. 11 Killingly (12-8). Second Round Wednesday, Nov. 9 Upper Bracket Prince Tech-Tolland winner at No. 1 Woodland (16-2); Rockville-NW Regional winner vs. Kaynor Tech-Nonnewaug winner; Suffield-St. Joseph winner at No. 4 Waterford (16-4); Sheehan-Weston winner at No. 5 Granby Memorial (15-5). Lower Bracket Haddam Killingworth-Plainville winner at No. 2 Bullard-Havens (17-3); Foran-Plainfield winner at No. 7 Ellington (14-6); Montville-Lewis Mills winner at No. 3 Wilcox Tech (17-3); Berlin-Killingly winner at No. 6 East Haven (14-6). Note: Quarterfinals are Nov. 13 (TBA), semifinals are Nov. 18 (TBA) and final is Saturday, Nov. 21 at Berlin, 1 p.m. CLASS S First Round Monday, Nov. 9 Upper Bracket No. 32 Canton (8-12) at No. 1 Seymour (18-0); No. 17 Ansonia (13-7) at No. 16 East Catholic (13-7); No. 25 O’Brien Tech (10-10) at No. 8 East Hampton (14-4); No. 24 Amistad (11-9) at No. 9 Notre Dame-Fairfield (155); No. 29 Holy Cross (9-11) at No. 4 Lyman Memorial (18-2), 5 p.m.; No. 20 Med-Ed Prep (12-8) at No. 13 Valley Regional (14-6); No. 28 Metro Learning Center (9-11) at No. 5 Abbott Tech (17-3); No. 21 Norwich Tech (10-8) at No. 12 Morgan (14-6). Lower Bracket No. 31 Wolcott Tech (8-12) at No. 2 Coventry (19-1); No. 18 Trinity Catholic (12-8) at No. 15 NW Catholic (13-7); No. 26 Wheeler (10-10) at No. 7 Hartford Trinity Academy (16-4); No. 23 Griswold(11-9) at No. 10 Hartford Sport Sciences (15-5); No. 30 Coginchaug (9-11) at No. 3 Hale-Ray (19-1); No. 19 Windham Tech (12-8) at No. 14 Goodwin Tech (13-7); No. 27 Bolton (10-10) at No. 6 Hartford Capital (14-3); No. 22 Cromwell (11-9) at No. 11 Oxford (14-6). Second Round Wednesday, Nov. 11 Upper Bracket Canton-Seymour winner vs. Ansonia-East Catholic winner; O’Brien Tech-/East Hampton winner vs. Amistad-Notre Dame (Ffd.) winner; Holy Cross-Lyman winner vs. Med-Ed Prep-Valley winner; Metro Learning-Abbott winner vs. Norwich Tech-Morgan winner. Lower Bracket Wolcott Tech-Coventry winner vs. Trinity Catholic-NW Catholic winner; Wheeler-Hartford Trinity winner vs. Griswold-Sport Sciences winner; Coginchaug-Hale Ray winner vs. Windham Tech-Goodwin Tech winner; Bolton-Hartford Capital winner vs. Cromwell-Oxford winner. Note: Quarterfinals are Nov. 13 (TBA), semifinals are Nov. 18 (TBA) and final is Saturday, Nov. 21 at Berlin, 10 a.m.