Joey Logano came from fourth to snatch a second NASCAR Sprint Cup victory of 2014 in a spectacular finish to Saturday night’s Richmond race.
Logano went into the last six laps a close fourth as leader Matt Kenseth came under attack from all angles with a side by side Jeff Gordon and Brad Keselowski right behind him.
Multiple contact incidents between the lead trio allowed Logano an opening on the inside, which he wasted no time in accepting. By the time his pursuers had sorted themselves out, Logano’s Penske Ford had a clear lead, securing his second win in three races ahead of Gordon’s Hendrick Chevrolet, which had led the most laps during the evening.
Kyle Busch benefitted from taking fresh tires during the final caution to sprint through to third, with Keselowski and Kenseth ending up fourth and fifth. The latter pair made contact after the flag as they disagreed over each other’s driving in the late victory battle, although their clash was then overshadowed by a scuffle between midfield finishers Casey Mears and Marcos Ambrose in the pits.
AJ Allmendinger got JTG Daugherty into the top six, with sometime lead contenders Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Ryan Newman following him home.
Polesitter Kyle Larson was spun by Clint Bowyer at the race’s very first corner, but clawed his way back from last to 16th. Bowyer eventually retired due to damage from a later puncture and fire.
He was one of many drivers to run into tire problems, with similar issues leaving reigning champion Jimmie Johnson – who is still winless in 2014 – back in 32nd.
Results - 400 laps:Pos Driver Team/Car Time/Gap
1. Joey Logano Penske Ford 3h12m47.000s
2. Jeff Gordon Hendrick Chevrolet +0.929s
3. Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Toyota +2.869s
4. Brad Keselowski Penske Ford +3.623s
5. Matt Kenseth Joe Gibbs Toyota +4.263s
6. AJ Allmendinger JTG Daugherty Chevrolet +6.049s
7. Dale Earnhardt Jr Hendrick Chevrolet +6.714s
8. Ryan Newman Childress Chevrolet +7.219s
9. Carl Edwards Roush Fenway Ford +7.711s
10. Martin Truex Jr Furniture Row Chevrolet +9.921s
11. Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Chevrolet +10.333s
12. Brian Vickers Waltrip Toyota +10.407s
13. Jamie McMurray Ganassi Chevrolet +10.675s
14. Kasey Kahne Hendrick Chevrolet +10.798s
15. Greg Biffle Roush Fenway Ford +11.430s
16. Kyle Larson Ganassi Chevrolet +11.858s
17. Aric Almirola Petty Ford +11.879s
18. Marcos Ambrose Petty Ford +12.737s
19. Casey Mears Germain Chevrolet +12.836s
20. David Gilliland Front Row Ford +13.016s
21. Justin Allgaier Hscott Chevrolet +13.271s
22. Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Toyota +13.440s
23. Kurt Busch Stewart-Haas Chevrolet +14.375s
24. Paul Menard Childress Chevrolet +15.250s
25. Tony Stewart Stewart-Haas Chevrolet +1 lap
26. Landon Cassill Hillman Chevrolet +2 laps
27. Austin Dillon Childress Chevrolet +2 laps
28. Alex Bowman BK Toyota +2 laps
29. David Reutimann Front Row Ford +2 laps
30. David Ragan Front Row Ford +3 laps
31. Ryan Truex BK Toyota +3 laps
32. Jimmie Johnson Hendrick Chevrolet +3 laps
33. Michael Annett Baldwin Chevrolet +3 laps
34. Danica Patrick Stewart-Haas Chevrolet +4 laps
35. David Stremme Circle Sport Chevrolet +4 laps
36. Travis Kvapil FAS Lane Ford +5 laps
37. Joe Nemechek Robinson Toyota +8 laps
38. Ricky Stenhouse Jr Roush Fenway Ford +10 laps
39. Josh Wise Parsons Chevrolet +10 laps
Retirements:
JJ Yeley Xxxtreme Toyota 380 laps
Cole Whitt BK Toyota 367 laps*
Reed Sorenson Baldwin Chevrolet 225 laps
Clint Bowyer Waltrip Toyota 159 laps
* Running again at finish
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