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SPORTSMonday 26 October 2015
Joey Logano wins Talladega with controversial finish
JENNA FRYER of NASCAR’s playoffs. fate. Sprint Cup Series driver Joey Logano (22) smokes his tires after
AP Auto Racing Writer It came at the expense of “When the race is over, I winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Talladega
TALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) — Dale Earnhardt Jr., who can live with the result as Superspeedway Sunday, Oct. 25, 2015, in Talladega, Ala.
As Joey Logano made was eliminated from the long as everyone else is
his third straight trip to vic- Chase for the Sprint Cup going by the same rules,” (AP Photo/Russell Norris)
tory lane, questions swirled championship at his best Earnhardt said. “I felt like
about reigning Sprint Cup track for the second con- per the rule book, it sorted
champion Kevin Harvick’s secutive year. Earnhardt out and I finished second.
late-race tactics. led a race-high 61 laps, but I’m OK with that.”
Several competitors ac- had to settle for second in NASCAR said this week it
cused Harvick of intention- a race he had to win when would make just one at-
ally causing a race-ending the Harvick-triggered crash tempt at Talladega to fin-
caution Sunday at Tallade- ended the race under cau- ish the race under green
ga Superspeedway, where tion. instead of the usual three
Logano completed a NASCAR’s most popular tries in a nod toward creat-
sweep of the second round driver did not question his ing a safer racing environ-
ment. Drivers were almost Logano for the win once
unanimous in their support the caution was called.
of the change, even when “It was a pretty tough end-
it came into play in a race ing. (He) knew he was
that cut four drivers from blowing up and told every-
the Chase field. body he was going to stay
Eliminated Sunday were in his lane,” Kenseth said. “It
Earnhardt, Ryan Newman just feels like we kind of lost
— the runner-up to Har- control of the situation.”
vick last year — and Joe Denny Hamlin echoed the
Gibbs Racing drivers Matt sentiments of his Joe Gibbs
Kenseth and Denny Ham- Racing teammate. He was
lin. JGR was considered a caught in the accident
heavy favorite in this Chase and had to climb from his
after a dominating regular flaming car, and said after
season, but had two of four that Harvick caused the
drivers eliminated Sunday wreck rather than risk losing
and both were furious with positions on the track that
Harvick. would knock him out of the
Harvick had radioed to his Chase.
crew under caution that a “The 4 could only run about
mechanical issue was pre- 30 miles an hour, I think he
venting him from acceler- saw people coming and
ating. But if he moved out he knew he was so prob-
of the way, he risked falling ably going to be 30th, the
to the back of the field and last car on the lead lap, so
potentially being knocked he caused the wreck,” said
out of the Chase. Hamlin.
So he instead stayed put, He had a far more scath-
and when his car failed to ing take on Twitter after
take off on the restart, he he was eliminated from
hit Trevor Bayne as Bayne the Chase. Joe Gibbs Rac-
tried to dart around him ing, the heavy favorites in
and it triggered a wreck this championship race,
that brought out the cau- instead had two of its four
tion to end the race. Earn- drivers knocked out of the
hardt was unable to race playoffs on Sunday.q
