Michigan NASCAR: Penske's Joey Logano claims first win of 2016
Polesitter Joey Logano led 139 of the 200 laps on the way to his first win of the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup season at Michigan International Speedway
Impressive performances from youngsters Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson put them within touching distance of victory, but Logano's excellent restarts meant he had the advantage at the site of his first win for Penske, back in 2013.
Runner-up Elliott came within 0.889 seconds of becoming the first rookie winner of a Cup race in five years, while Larson's wait for his maiden victory continued as he followed them home in third.
A caution for contact between Danica Patrick, Casey Mears and Brian Scott 50 laps from the end raised concerns over fuel mileage, reminiscent of last weekend's Pocono race, with range expected to be somewhere around 48 laps.
However, two subsequent cautions - one for a scary full-speed tyre blowout for Denny Hamlin with 12 laps to go - negated those worries, and fuel saving was not an issue.
The 40-strong field entered uncharted territory during Sunday's race, with NASCAR's experimental low-downforce package used in a Cup event for the first time.
The package - which limits the effects of the front splitter and rear wing on the cars - was brought in to facilitate easier passing and less turbulent air, and will also feature at the July Kentucky race.
It clearly worked well for Logano, who passed Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr within the first 10 laps after losing the lead at the start.
After three wins early in the season, Kyle Busch's rotten luck continued with a blown engine.
The Joe Gibbs Racing man had finished outside the top 30 in the three races prior to Michigan, and a DNF only compounded his reversal of fortune.
With victory, Logano joins Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, Truex and both Busch brothers in the provisional Chase field.
RESULTS - 200 LAPS:
Pos | Driver | Team | Car | Gap |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Joey Logano | Team Penske | Ford | 2h58m47.s |
2 | Chase Elliott | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 0.889s |
3 | Kyle Larson | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 3.069s |
4 | Brad Keselowski | Team Penske | Ford | 3.901s |
5 | Kevin Harvick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 4.775s |
6 | Carl Edwards | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 5.298s |
7 | Tony Stewart | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 6.144s |
8 | Austin Dillon | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 6.966s |
9 | Jamie McMurray | Chip Ganassi Racing | Chevrolet | 7.537s |
10 | Kurt Busch | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 7.729s |
11 | Ryan Newman | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 8.606s |
12 | Martin Truex Jr. | Furniture Row Racing | Toyota | 8.979s |
13 | Kasey Kahne | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 9.848s |
14 | Matt Kenseth | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | 10.486s |
15 | Trevor Bayne | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 11.394s |
16 | Jimmie Johnson | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | 11.979s |
17 | Ryan Blaney | Wood Brothers Racing | Ford | 12.226s |
18 | Paul Menard | Richard Childress Racing | Chevrolet | 12.494s |
19 | Greg Biffle | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 12.767s |
20 | Chris Buescher | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 12.854s |
21 | Danica Patrick | Stewart-Haas Racing | Chevrolet | 12.941s |
22 | David Ragan | BK Racing | Toyota | 14.106s |
23 | Clint Bowyer | HScott Motorsports | Chevrolet | 14.621s |
24 | Ty Dillon | Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing | Chevrolet | 14.789s |
25 | Landon Cassill | Front Row Motorsports | Ford | 14.789s |
26 | Aric Almirola | Richard Petty Motorsports | Ford | 15.474s |
27 | Cole Whitt | Premium Motorsports | Chevrolet | 16.114s |
28 | Michael Annett | HScott Motorsports | Chevrolet | 19.788s |
29 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | Roush Fenway Racing | Ford | 1 Lap |
30 | Josh Wise | The Motorsports Group | Chevrolet | 3 Laps |
31 | Reed Sorenson | Premium Motorsports | Chevrolet | 6 Laps |
32 | Casey Mears | Germain Racing | Chevrolet | 11 Laps |
33 | Denny Hamlin | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | Accident |
34 | Matt DiBenedetto | BK Racing | Toyota | Accident |
35 | Regan Smith | Tommy Baldwin Racing | Chevrolet | 21 Laps |
36 | Brian Scott | Richard Petty Motorsports | Ford | Accident |
37 | Jeffrey Earnhardt | Go FAS Racing | Ford | Accident |
38 | A.J. Allmendinger | JTG Daugherty Racing | Chevrolet | Accident |
39 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | Hendrick Motorsports | Chevrolet | Accident |
40 | Kyle Busch | Joe Gibbs Racing | Toyota | Engine |
LEADING CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS:
Pos | Driver | Points |
---|---|---|
1 | Kevin Harvick | 526 |
2 | Kurt Busch | 496 |
3 | Brad Keselowski | 480 |
4 | Carl Edwards | 472 |
5 | Joey Logano | 455 |
6 | Chase Elliott | 453 |
7 | Jimmie Johnson | 441 |
8 | Martin Truex Jr. | 433 |
9 | Kyle Busch | 417 |
10 | Matt Kenseth | 409 |
11 | Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 383 |
12 | Austin Dillon | 381 |
13 | Denny Hamlin | 380 |
14 | Jamie McMurray | 374 |
15 | Ryan Newman | 369 |
16 | Ryan Blaney | 364 |
17 | Kasey Kahne | 353 |
18 | Trevor Bayne | 345 |
19 | A.J. Allmendinger | 337 |
20 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 337 |
21 | Kyle Larson | 326 |
22 | Paul Menard | 289 |
23 | Clint Bowyer | 270 |
24 | Greg Biffle | 267 |
25 | Danica Patrick | 265 |
26 | Aric Almirola | 264 |
27 | Landon Cassill | 237 |
28 | Casey Mears | 221 |
29 | David Ragan | 208 |
30 | Brian Scott | 197 |
31 | Regan Smith | 186 |
32 | Chris Buescher | 182 |
33 | Michael McDowell | 161 |
34 | Matt DiBenedetto | 158 |
35 | Tony Stewart | 152 |
PROVISIONALLY INTO CHASE SO FAR
Kyle Busch (3 wins), Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski (2 wins), Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Martin Truex Jr, Kurt Busch, Joey Logano (1 win)
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