Defending NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano placed second during Sunday’s wild double-overtime Daytona 500.
Good times at the beach?
Not really.
Logano lost a shootout to Ricky Stenhouse Jr. as the final caution flag waved on the 212th lap of the longest race in event history. Just before Stenhouse ran out of gas.
“Second is the worst, man,” Logano told NASCAR PR. “You’re so close. Leading the white flag lap there, I was up front. Kyle (Busch) gave me a good push and, yeah, you’re watching in the mirror.”
What Logano saw was Kyle Larson attempting to move into position to overtake him and Stenhouse. Larson’s bid resulted in a multi-car crash.
“I didn’t want to wreck my car,” Logano said. “Then you don’t expect (Larson’s) wreck, either. You wish you could race to the end.”
But, if Logano recalls, his 2015 win at Daytona came when the final caution appeared, and he led Kevin Harvick.
“Congratulations to Ricky,” Logano said. “There’s nothing like winning the Daytona 500. That’s why it stings so much finishing second.”
Trouble. Here's what happened. #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/YlNExBriS9
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) February 19, 2023
Kevin Harvick Takes Out Tyler Reddick, Others
Cruising along Lap 118, Tyler Reddick’s machine received a bump from behind by Kevin Harvick, who was competing in his final “Great American Race.” Reddick couldn’t maintain control and veered into the retaining wall, setting off a chain of notable collisions.
The Stage 2 multi-car crash was the first of the race. Also involved in the mele were Martin Truex Jr. (31 career wins), Kyle Larson (19), Chase Elliott (18), Ryan Blaney (seven), Erik Jones (3), and Daniel Suarez (1).
“(Harvick) was trying to push me and I just lost it,” Reddick told Fox Sports after the accident. “Got loose and unfortunately took out some good cars.”
Michael McDowell, who picked up nine positions, and defending race champion Austin Cindric (seven) benefitted the most from the caution period.
“It is what it is,” Jones said via team press release. “It looked like No. 45 (Reddick) got turned around. We were just in the wrong spot at the wrong time. I wish we could have been a little ahead of him.”
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