SPARTA, Ky. — With a red flag stalling the final laps of Kentucky Speedway’s Nationwide race for nearly nine minutes Saturday night, defending champion Joey Logano had plenty of time to think about the task — and the teammate — in front of him.
The 19-year-old rising star was flawless after the restart, passing Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch with 10 laps to go and holding on to win the Meijer 300 for the second consecutive year.
“You’re sitting in there,” Logano said of the delay. “You’re thinking about it, ‘What can I do to beat Kyle Busch — one of the best in NASCAR?’ The opportunity was just right. I knew I had to have a run, and I knew he had to slip out a little bit.”
That is exactly what happened as Logano made the move past Busch shortly after the red flag delayed the race to clean debris off the track created when another driver slammed into the wall.
Last year in the Meijer 300, Logano became the youngest winner in a Nationwide event. This time, he made history as the first repeat winner in the track’s signature NASCAR race.
“It always happens that way,” Busch said. “We always lose at the end. Joey’s just better than we are in these places.”
Braun wins first truck race.
Colin Braun took advantage of an unintentional block by a lapped truck to pass Kyle Busch and race to his first NASCAR truck win at Michigan International Speedway.
The 20-year-old Braun gave team owner Jack Roush his 50th truck victory and third in a row at the track closest to his headquarters in Livonia.
This race looked as if it belonged to Busch, the talented 24-year-old who regularly wins races in Sprint Cup, Nationwide and the Camping World trucks series. He led 62 laps and appeared in total control before suddenly coming upon the slow-moving Norm Benning, two laps off the pace.
Busch slowed and ducked low on the banked 2-mile oval on lap 77, driving nearly into the infield grass to get past Benning, while Braun went high around both Benning and Busch to grab the lead.
Footnotes.
Ashley Force Hood kept her top spot in funny car after rain ended qualifying early in the United Association NHRA SuperNationals in Englishtown, N.J.
Tony Schumacher stayed on top in top fuel while Ron Krisher moved up to take the lead in pro stock and Hector Arana topped pro stock motorcycle before it rained.
• Jonathan Summerton won his third career Atlantic Championship victory in a dominating performance in the first race of a doubleheader at New Jersey Motorsports Park.
• Australian star Chad Reed raced to his first career 450 Class victory, sweeping both motos in the AMA Pro Motocross Championship’s Monster Energy National at High Point Raceway in Mount Morris, Pa. The AP
Today’s races
NASCAR SPRINT CUP
LifeLock 400
Site: Brooklyn, Mich.
TV: TNT, noon
Track: Michigan International Speedway (oval, 2 miles)
Race distance: 400 miles, 200 laps
Next race: Toyota/SaveMart 350, June 21, Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, Calif.
On the Net: www.nascar.com
NHRA
United Association SuperNationals
Site: Englishtown, N.J.
TV: ESPN2, 8 p.m. tape
Track: Old Bridge Township Raceway Park
Next event: Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, June 26-28, Summit Motorsports Park, Norwalk, Ohio
On the Net: www.nhra.com
