Joey Logano Wins First Contender Round Race in Kansas
Joey Logano Wins First Contender Round Race in Kansas
The Contender Round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup got underway on Sunday in Kansas with the Hollywood Casino 400, and it lived up to every bit of drama that could have been expected of it. In a race that saw Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. all knocked out of contention by miscellaneous incidents, Joey Logano rode a wave to Victory Lane and guaranteed that the No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford Fusion will live through to the Eliminator Round.
“We had such a fast Shell Pennzoil Ford again. It is so much fun to race these cars lately,” said Logano. “Everyone at Team Penske has given me great stuff to work with. It is awesome to be back in victory lane again.”
Logano smokes his tires after a big win in Kansas
Logano took the checkered flag over Kyle Larson by a scant .480 seconds, earning his fifth victory of the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup season and tying him with Penske/Ford Racing teammate Brad Keselowski for the most win this year.
“It makes Talladega a lot easier, that is for sure,” Logano said. “To know we are onto the next round, we can focus on a few more races coming up, and we’ll keep trying to capitalize like we’re doing.”
Carl Edwards took third place, followed by Ryan Newman and Denny Hamlin.
Four more drivers will be eliminated by the conclusion of the Contender Round and prior to the Eliminator Round. As it stands, Johnson, Earnhardt Jr, Keselowski, and Kahne are all on the outside looking in.
The Contender Round continues this weekend with the Bank of America 500 from Charlotte Motor Speedway and the Geico 500 from Talladega on October 19.
The News Wheel is a digital auto magazine providing readers with a fresh perspective on the latest car news. We’re located in the heart of America (Dayton, Ohio) and our goal is to deliver an entertaining and informative perspective on what’s trending in the automotive world. See more articles from The News Wheel.