Joey Logano made the most of his 300th career start on Sunday at Richmond International Raceway, breaking into the 2017 win column with his 18th Cup Series victory. Logano made a late pit stop during the day’s final caution and fresh tires paid big dividends. He quickly roared past the six drivers who stayed out on older tires and kept the #22 Ford in front over the final 17 laps.
Logano’s margin of victory over runner-up Brad Keselowski was three-quarters of a second as Team Penske swept the top two spots. Denny Hamlin ran third with Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. and Kevin Harvick completing the top five. Pole sitter Matt Kenseth won the first stage and led a race-high 164 laps before fading to a 23rd-place finish – one of 27 drivers running on the lead lap with Logano at the checkered flag.
Kyle Busch was challenging for the victory when the last of the day’s nine cautions transpired, leading to Logano’s decisive pit stop. But when Busch missed the commitment line to properly enter the pit lane for service, he was penalized and forced to settle for 16th place in the 38-car field. Logano’s charge to victory was noteworthy in that he began the day at the rear of the grid after a transmission change, forfeiting his original #5 starting spot.
It was a stellar day for Ford as the manufacturer took four of the top five finishing positions with drivers Logano, Keselowski, Stenhouse and Harvick. Sunday’s race included nine cautions for 53 laps. There were 18 lead changes among eight drivers.
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– story by John Singler
www.mrn.com
Concord, North Carolina
