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SPORTS Tuesday 5 March 2019

Joey Logano holds off Brad Keselowski for Vegas NASCAR win

By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Joey Lo-
gano and Brad Keselowski
were side by side off the
fourth turn, two teammates
fighting for the last burst of
speed on the final lap at
Las Vegas Motor Speed-
way.
Logano barely managed
to block Keselowski’s move,
and the defending NAS-
CAR Cup Series champion
hung on for his first win in his
title defense season.
“That was more intense
than I wanted it to be,” Lo-
gano said.
Logano held off Keselowski
on Sunday for his first Cup
victory in Vegas, driving his
Team Penske Ford to his
22nd career win. Joey Logano celebrates after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Sunday, March 3, 2019, in
“There’s been plenty of Las Vegas.
times here when we’ve Associated Press
led a lot of laps here, but thought it was as entertain-
we’ve never won, and ing as can be. I don’t re-
that’s the most important ally know what to say if you
stat to have,” Logano said. don’t like that.”
“Something happens at the Keselowski drove up from
end, and Brad becomes 19th to take the lead with
the fastest car and he wins. 27 laps left, but his hopes
I looked in the mirror, and I for back-to-back victo-
was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is ries were dashed when
happening again.’” Logano passed him while
But after narrowly answer- getting held up by lapped
ing Keselowski’s last-lap traffic.
passing attempt, Logano “I’d like to have one more
celebrated his victory in lap,” said Keselowski, who
NASCAR’s first race under won the playoff race in
its full new rules package Vegas last September. “It
designed to foster tight was a good battle, and we
racing and excitement. were both fighting really
Excitement is exactly what hard at the top. It seemed
NASCAR got on the final like it came down to what
lap, although the quality the lapped cars were go-
of the 266 laps before that ing to do.”
sharply divided drivers and Kyle Busch finished third,
observers — no surprise in a unable to recover from a
sport that rarely agrees on mid-race speeding penalty
much of anything. in the hometown driver’s
The Vegas race featured quest for the third three-
no cautions, which meant race weekend sweep in
the thrilling restarts expect- NASCAR history. As you
ed under the new rules might expect, Busch wasn’t
were limited to a couple of a fan of the new rules’ ef-
wild laps after the two seg- fects on his racing.
ment breaks. “The cars don’t have any
“There towards the end, speed,” Busch said. “You’re
the way this drafting pack- wide open just trying to
age, these rules work, it catch a draft. You couldn’t
was intense,” Logano said. maneuver. You’re always
“You can’t get away. trying to figure out which
You’re constantly look- way to go.”
ing around. Mentally, I’m Pole-sitter Kevin Harvick
exhausted right now. ... was fourth, and Kurt Busch
It proves you don’t need finished fifth for the Las Ve-
crashes to have an excit- gas native’s first top-five fin-
ing race. There’s so much ish at his home track since
strategy that goes into driv- 2005. Fords took five of the
ing these race cars now. I top seven spots.q