Team Penske extended its recent run of success on restrictor-plate tracks Sunday afternoon with Joey Logano’s victory in the Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona International Speedway. Contact between race leader Denny Hamlin and a fast-closing Brad Keselowski on the last lap opened the door for Logano to claim his first victory in the annual non-points special event featuring pole winners from the previous season. Dating back to May of last year, Logano and Keselowski have now combined to give Team Penske four straight wins on NASCAR superspeedways at Daytona and Talladega.
Hamlin led a race-high 48 laps and took the white flag at the front of the field before feeling the heat from Keselowski, who stuck the nose of his #2 Ford under Hamlin as they charged through Turns 1 and 2. Hamlin, seeking his second straight victory in the exhibition race and fourth overall, moved the #11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota down the track to block Keselowski but wasn’t quick enough and made contact. Logano steered his #22 Ford to the outside and motored past the skirmish, beating runner-up Kyle Busch to the checkered flag by 1.1 seconds. Keselowski finished 6th and Hamlin slipped to 13th.
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– story by John Singler
www.mrn.com
Concord, North Carolina
