History says Suarez is next to tangle with Logano
Daniel Suarez, watch out. You could be next on a bizarre yet notable list as the only current Joe Gibbs Racing driver who has not been intrinsically linked to Joey Logano via an on-track incident that led to fireworks off it.
Logano, who got his start with Gibbs at NASCAR’s highest level before leaving after the 2012 season for Team Penske, was the focus of Kyle Busch’s ire after the two got tangled on the final lap Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Busch stalked Logano on pit road after the race and went after him in a melee that devolved into Logano’s crew tackling Busch — who didn’t have too much help — to the asphalt.
Busch, forehead bloodied, said in a TV interview that Logano had intentionally wrecked him. Logano, seemingly calm and unscathed, said he was just racing hard.
The confrontation likely will not lead to sanctions, NASCAR chairman Brian France and executive vice president and chief racing development officer Steve O’Donnell said in separate interviews Monday on SiriusXM NASCAR.
France said, “We’re going to have moments. We just shouldn’t come out of our chairs over this.”
O’Donnell said the sanctioning body would have both drivers in for a chat before the next race. Meanwhile, tape still was being reviewed, but “unless we see something we haven’t seen yet” there appeared no need for punishment.
Regardless, Logano has found himself in the middle of another brouhaha with a driver from JGR.
In 2013, Logano and Denny Hamlin were battling for the lead on the final lap at Auto Club Speedway when Logano nudged Hamlin high and into the wall. Hamlin’s car came back down the track and hit a concrete interior retaining wall — at the time not covered by a SAFER barrier — and suffered a broken back. Busch sailed past for the win. Hamlin missed four races.
In 2015, Logano and Matt Kenseth were racing for a key victory during NASCAR’s playoffs at Kansas Speedway when, with five laps remaining, Logano kissed Kenseth’s bumper and sent him spinning. Logano drove away to victory — his second in a threewin span. The move effectively ended Kenseth’s chance for a title.
But Kenseth didn’t wait long for revenge, intentionally wrecking Logano two weeks later at Martinsville Speedway and snuffing his title run. NASCAR benched Kenseth for two races.
And now two years later, we have Logano vs. Busch.
While Busch didn’t feel like waiting for his pound of flesh, his postrace comments will have fans watching for on-track retaliation as well.
“That’s how Joey races. So he’s going to get it,” Busch said.
Anyone want to wager on a Logano vs. Suarez ticket in 2019?