Page 21 - ARUBA TODAY

A21
SPORTS Thursday 2 November 2017
Logano crew chief

takes blame for call

that cost Keselowski

By JENNA FRYER the playoffs, and once he
AP Auto Racing Writer developed the tire rub,
CHARLOTTE, N.C. he was out of contention
(AP) — Joey Logano’s crew for the Martinsville victory.
chief accepted blame Other playoff drivers, in-
Tuesday for not pitting Lo- cluding Martinsville race
gano with a tire rub, a call winner Busch, noted that
that may have cost Team Logano should have pitted
Penske teammate Brad Ke- for the good of the Penske
selowski a spot in NASCAR’s organization.
championship. Gordon said that in the
Logano was third with 12 seconds he’s required to
laps remaining in Sunday’s make a decision, he failed Kyle Busch (18) and Brad Keselowski (2) lead the field on a restart during the third stage of the
race at Martinsville Speed- to consider Keselowski’s NASCAR Cup series auto race at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., Sunday, Oct. 29, 2017.
Associated Press
way when contact with situation and was thinking
Kyle Busch created a tire only of gaining a momen- on the tire contact patch, “I guess I should have didn’t know how bad the
rub on Logano’s car. tum-building finish for Lo- and the smoke kind of called him in earlier with rub was and as it became
Keselowski was leading gano’s team. Keselowski clouds it a little bit for me. the grander picture in my more clear it became too
and seemed to have the had marked Martinsville as “Honestly, head. late to react to that.”
victory in hand, and the a must-win race for him to it was looking at the fact I missed the call. I just own Gordon indicated that Ke-
win would have earned Ke- earn one of the four slots in that I felt like if it was just a that I missed the call my- selowski crew chief Paul
selowski a slot in the season the championship. tire rub we might (salvage) self,” Gordon said. “Regret- Wolfe was annoyed with
finale championship race. “In the time Kyle got into a top-five finish out of the ful for that for our team- Gordon’s decision, and the
But Logano was not called us, we were third and fight- day.” mates and everybody here two colleagues had a con-
in to pit, the tire blew and ing,” Gordon said. As Logano’s tire situation at Team Penske. versation.
he spun. “I only got a couple of became more perilous, Brad had a dominant car “I’ve talked to Paul about
It brought out a caution glimpses of (the tire). the driver was stuck on the all day, and I think was in a it and I’ve shared with
that ultimately led to Kesel- It was smoking. outside lane of the track great position. him my shortcomings and
owski not winning the race. The first lap and half of that, and getting to pit road “Wish you could take those thought process.
“I missed the call,” crew I wasn’t sure how bad (the would have been difficult. things back but you can’t. I think we’re good with
chief Todd Gordon said tire) was and as I saw, I By the time Logano could At that time, my focus was where we’re at,” Gordon
Tuesday on SiriusXM NAS- didn’t know with a few laps get out of the way, the tire on a momentum builder for said. “Obviously he was
CAR Radio. left, whether it was an ex- had failed and Keselowski’s our team. disappointed with it as he
Logano is not eligible for ternal rub or whether it was lead was erased. Saw that opportunity, should be.”q
Jets’ Kerley facing suspension,

uncertain for Thursday night

By DENNIS WASZAK Jr. that’s just a league matter suspended for violating
AP Sports Writer right now.” the NFL’s policy on perfor-
FLORHAM PARK, New Jer- Neither the NFL nor the Jets mance enhancers. That
sey (AP) — Jeremy Kerley would comment on the typically carries up to a
is focused on playing Thurs- possible suspension. Coach four-game suspension.
day night — even though Todd Bowles echoed Ker- Kerley has had a rough few
he’s unsure if he’ll be able ley by calling it “a league days. On Sunday, the nor-
to take the field. matter.” mally sure-handed returner
The New York Jets wide re- “He’s practicing like (he’ll muffed a punt late in the
ceiver is facing a possible be available), but we’ll game that led to a field
suspension, and his playing see,” Bowles said. “We goal for Atlanta in the Fal-
status for the game against have other guys taking reps cons’ 25-20 win.
the Buffalo Bills was uncer- in there. We’re prepared He was back returning
tain. either way.” punts during special teams
Kerley would not confirm Kerley said he’s “ready to drills early in practice, and
or deny reports Tuesday play” against the Bills in insisted that his mistake
that he will be suspended prime time with the Jets try- wouldn’t weigh on him.
by the NFL for a violation of ing to snap a three-game “It was very easy,” Kerley
league rules. The New York losing streak. said of moving on from the
Daily News first reported “My anticipation really is on mistake.
that the veteran receiver the Buffalo game plan,” he “It’s part of the game. I’m
will miss some time. said. “That’s really what I’m a pro and I know how to
“Right now, my status is on worried about. They’ve got handle myself. I ain’t wor-
Buffalo,” Kerley said after a good third-down defense ried about one play, lead-
practice Tuesday. “Any and all that, so that’s really ing into the next play and In this Sunday, Oct. 15, 2017 file photo, New York Jets wide re-
questions about Buffalo, I’d my main focus right now.” leading into the next play. I ceiver Jeremy Kerley (14) runs for a touchdown during the first
love to answer that. Any- The New York Post first re- shut that out just as easy as half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots in
East Rutherford, N.J.
thing about the suspension, ported that Kerley will be it happened.”q Associated Press