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| Joey Logano celebrate his victory in the 57th Daytona 500 |
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The feel-good stories that Nascar hoped would dominate headlines during its season-opening week, from Jeff Gordon’s last Daytona 500 to the $400 million makeover of Daytona International Speedway, instead had been overshadowed by the ugly suspension of Kurt Busch and a gruesome injury to Kyle Busch on Saturday that cast a pall over the 500, the organization’s showcase event.
But on a sunny Sunday afternoon, Nascar saw the focus return to racing. And amid the domination of Hendrick cars early to the three-wide, nail-biting, breathless finish at 200 miles an hour, Nascar finally had the best story of the week: Joey Logano.
Logano, a driver who was once dumped by Joe Gibbs Racing, found a home at Team Penske and nearly took home the Sprint Cup championship last year, completed his rise by winning his first Daytona 500 and securing his berth in the Cup playoff at the end of the year.
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“I can’t believe it,” said Logano, who grew up racing quarter-midget cars in Connecticut. “This is absolutely amazing.”
Logano held off a field of Nascar’s elite drives, from Denny Hamlin to the defending Cup champion Kevin Harvick and the defending 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. to win the race under caution after a multicar pileup on the final lap. But as Hamlin said after the race, Logano is among the elite now, too.
For a time, it seemed it would be the same old story for Nascar. The only question through much of the Daytona 500 was which Hendrick Motorsports driver would win. Gordon led 77 of the first 100 laps. Earnhardt powered to the lead at lap 114 and led for 32 laps before a third teammate, Jimmie Johnson, emerged in the last 50. Only a handful of drivers, including Logano, Harvick, Hamlin and Carl Edwards, were able to flirt with the Hendrick cars at the front of the pack.
Logano seemed to be on his way to victory with the lead and three laps to go, chased by Johnson and Hamlin. But Justin Allgaier wrecked on the front stretch to bring out a red flag, stopping the race. The race was extended two laps to try to ensure a green-flag finish but no one was able to catch Logano, who shot out to the lead and was not challenged as the field wrecked behind him and one final caution came out before he took the checkered flag.
Harvick was second and Earnhardt third.
Among those collected in that last wreck was Gordon, who finished 33rd in his final Daytona 500. It didn’t begin that way. The last Daytona 500 of Gordon’s storied career began with his No. 24 Chevrolet on the pole.
“This is an amazing moment,” Gordon said before the race. “Like a storybook in the making or happening live. This is a moment I will cherish forever, for sure.”
He would have cherished holding the Harley J. Earl Trophy for the fourth time in his career even more. And for a stretch, it looked as if no one would challenge him except perhaps Earnhardt, who started third. Earnhardt spent much of the first half on Gordon’s bumper. At the halfway mark, the top three racecars were all from Hendrick Motorsports, including Gordon, Kasey Kahne in second and Earnhardt third.
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But after leading 87 laps, Gordon fell back into the pack in the second half as Earnhardt, seeking his third win in the 500, moved to the front. Harvick stayed on Earnhardt’s bumper and was in position for his second Daytona 500 win.
Tony Stewart saw his chances of finally winning end when he was involved in a crash on lap 41. Stewart was among the leaders when his car appeared to get loose and fell back in the field before hitting the outside wall near turn 4. Seven racecars were collected, including the two-time winner Matt Kenseth, who fell off the lead lap.
Regan Smith, who climbed into the No. 41 Chevrolet to replace Kurt Busch, who was suspended after a judge determined he had committed domestic assault last September, finished 16th. Matt Crafton, the Camping World Truck Series two-time champion who was tabbed to start in place of the injured Kyle Busch, who sustained a broken right leg and left foot in a wreck during Saturday’s Xfinity race, finished 18th.
Danica Patrick, in the last year of her contract with her primary sponsor GoDaddy and needing to show improvement in her third full season in the Cup, finished 21st after racing cleanly throughout the day.
Cr. New York Times
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