Page 23 - ARUBA TODAY

A23
SPORTS Tuesday 25 February 2020
Joey Logano overcomes missed

pit call to win at Las Vegas

By JENNA FRYER job, and it's been fun get- utive starts dating to 2002
AP Auto Racing Writer ting to know each other, for Newman, who has no
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The ad- and the whole team," Lo- timetable for a return but
justments to a major off- gano said. "The pit crew his team said Sunday that
season overhaul at Team was amazing today. I think he intends to get back in
Penske continued Sunday we gained a spot every his car. Chastain finished
at Las Vegas Motor Speed- time at least. Proud of the 29th, in part because of a
way, where miscommu- effort that everyone has late spin, but ran inside the
nication between Joey put in over the offseason." top-10 earlier in the race.
Logano and his new crew Logano had taken the Roush Fenway has not in-
chief led to a botched final white flag when a crash dicated who will drive the
pit stop. occurred deep in traffic car next week.
Logano still wound up in to bring out the caution, Chastain was bitterly disap-
victory lane for the second freeze the field and secure pointed as he headed to Joey Logano celebrates after winning a NASCAR Cup Series
year in a row, winning a the victory for the No. 22 his Xfinity Series car for the auto race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, Feb. 23,
two-lap sprint to the finish Ford. resumption of Saturday's 2020.
that ended under caution. The 24th victory of Loga- race, which was rained out Associated Press
A caution with six laps re- no's career broke a tie with after 50 laps and resched-
maining forced teams to Ricky Rudd for 35th on NAS- uled for after the main the wall. He had led five
make strategic decisions CAR's all-time win list. event. "I was just overdriv- different times for 70 laps,
and crew chief Paul Wolfe Matt DiBenedetto in a Ford ing there at the end for with the two stage victo-
told Logano to come to pit for the Wood Brothers — a sure. It just got away from ries, before heading to pit
road for new tires. Logano Penske partner — for his me there and got loose," road for repairs.
didn't hear Wolfe and re- second race was 0.491 Chastain said. "The car Elliott finished 26th.
mained on track, a move seconds behind to tie his deserved a lot better fin- BLANEY BOUNCES BACK
that cycled him into the career-best finish. ish. I just didn't have great An emotional week for
lead but put him in position "This is all just too surre- restarts. These guys kind Ryan Blaney ended with
to hold off a slew of con- al," he said. "Tough to be of ate me alive on the re- an 11th place finish at Las
tenders on fresh tires. that close, but, hey, this is starts and I'd lose three or Vegas and Blaney moving
Logano knew it was critical only the second race of four spots every time, and toward closure after Ryan
to get his Ford separated the season. So it was the picked the wrong lines Newman's crash on the fi-
from the pack quickly on strength of this team. It's so through one and two, and nal lap of Monday night's
the restart to have any shot cool to have the backing then three and four again Daytona 500.
at the win. of all the people that allow I just kept making silly mis- It was contact from Blaney
"Clean air was going to be me to drive this thing." takes that I should learn that triggered Newman's
key with old tires," he said. Stenhouse, pole-sitter for from after I make the mis- crash, and Blaney said Sun-
"If I got swallowed up by a the Daytona 500 a week take once. I just have to be day morning before the
couple cars, I was just go- ago, was third in a Chev- better." race he struggled in the first
ing to fall backwards really rolet in his second race for BAD BREAK few days over his role in the
quick." new team JTG-Daugherty Chase Elliott appeared accident.
Logano got a push from Racing. to be the driver to beat "I talked to his dad on Tues-
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. on "So far so good," Stenhouse through the first two stag- day and said when he's
the restart with two laps said. "Two weeks, we've es, both wins for Elliott in feeling better, I'd like to
remaining, then threw a been fast this week, we his Hendrick Motorsports talk to Ryan," Blaney told
block on William Byron to weren't bad this week, and Chevrolet. The Associated Press. "Ryan
maintain his position out we know what we need to But his shot to win the race called me Wednesday and
front that Logano called work on." ended after a tire issue fol- just talking to him, hearing
"the winning move. Austin Dillon was fourth for lowing a pit stop from the him, really made things
"I was able to get down in Richard Childress Racing lead caused Elliott to hit easier." q
front of him and then be and followed by Jimmie
able to separate myself a Johnson, Bubba Wallace,
little bit from the field," he Logano teammate Kesel-
said. owski and Kevin Harvick.
Logano, the 2018 cham- Kyle Larson and Ty Dillon
pion, just missed advanc- rounded out the top 10.
ing to the championship Daytona 500 winner Denny
race last season. At the Hamlin was the highest-
start of this year, owner finishing Toyota driver in
Roger Penske announced 17th as the brand and Joe
he'd swapped the crews of Gibbs Racing struggled the
Logano, Ryan Blaney and entire 400 miles.
Brad Keselowski, with Loga- Ross Chastain drove the
no getting Wolfe, the crew No. 6 Ford for Roush Fen-
chief who led Keselowski to way Racing as the re-
a Cup title. placement driver for Ryan
They've worked together Newman, who suffered a
at the track the last three head injury in a crash on
weeks and Logano praised the final lap of Monday
the new pairing. night's Daytona 500. It end-
"He's done such a great ed a streak of 649 consec-