AVONDALE, Ariz: Joey Logano had a fast No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford Mustang Sunday afternoon at ISM (Ariz.) Raceway, but a tough Stage 3 during Sunday’s Bluegreen Vacations 500 ultimately cost the Team Penske team a chance to defend their Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship next Sunday at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) International Speedway.
After winning Stage 2 of Sunday’s penultimate race, Logano pitted for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment. The adjustment in air pressure, however, took Logano from a race-winning car to a lapped car in a span of 60 laps.
Logano was passed by eventual winner Hamlin at Lap 177 and that moment began the freefall for the reigning Cup Series champion who backslid through the top-10 and eventually off the lead lap in 11th at Lap 238.
Nine laps later Logano came to pit road and the attention of his crew chief Todd Gordon where the team reset the air pressure back to its original setting, put four new tires on the car and Logano instantly had the speed back in his race car.
Maneuvering through the field, Logano found himself back in the top-10 inside the final 50 laps of the race, but still one lap down.
When John Hunter Nemechek hit the wall at Lap 303, the caution waved and opened an opportunity for the No. 22 Team Penske team. With Erik Jones being lapped a few laps prior to the event’s fifth caution, Gordon elected to take the wave around and put Logano back on the lead lap on older tires.
Another caution never materialized in the final three laps of the race keeping Logano locked from an opportunity to make gains on the track and even more important a chance to win the race.
“I went from a car that could lead and win a stage and run really well, and from what they told me, it was an air pressure adjustment made it go from a winning car to can’t stay on the lead lap, and one of the tightest things I’ve ever driven,” said Logano after the race.
“I don’t really understand it. It doesn’t make any sense. You change tires and change a half pound of air, that sounds ridiculous. It is what it is. Just wasn’t our year to make it, I guess.”
Logano finished ninth but more importantly seven points behind second-place finisher Kyle Busch to keep him out of the Championship 4.
While disappointed not to have a chance to go back-to-back for Cup titles, Logano said things could be worse.
“We’ll fight for fifth, I guess, in points for this year, and we’ll move on. It stinks. It hurts a little bit, but we’ll live.
“Everything is going to be okay. Life is a lot worse in other ways for some. We’re still fortunate to be here and get to do what we love. It’s a bummer for sure. It doesn’t take anything away from that, but it’s just part of the game sometimes.”
As for Homestead, Logano is headed to South Florida determined to defend his Ford EcoBoost 400 win.
“I mean, we’re going to go there to win. Our goal doesn’t change. Our goal is the same whether we’re in the playoffs or not. It’s to win. We’ll go down there and prepare the same way we were going to and win the race. That’s the goal.”
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
