April 20, 2024

Logano wins Las Vegas Xfinity race

Joey Logano, driver of the No. 12 REV Ford, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR XFINITY Series Boyd Gaming 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Saturday in Las Vegas, Nevada. (NASCAR Photo)

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Joey Logano believes the evolving strategy of restarts has made it one of the most challenging aspects for a NASCAR driver.

Logano got plenty of chances to test his skills Saturday in the Xfinity race, and made all the right moves.

Logano pulled away from Kyle Larson on a restart with four laps left and held on to win his 21st race in the second-tier circuit.

Logano chose the outside lane and moved in front of Larson out of the fourth turn at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for his first Xfinity victory since October at Charlotte.

Daniel Suarez put Cup regulars in the top three spots. Justin Allgaier was fourth, followed by Austin Dillon and Darrell Wallace Jr., who needed medical attention after the race because of illness.

NASCAR Cup regulars Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski won the first two stages of the 200-lap race.

Elliott Sadler finished 10th and retained the series lead by four points over Ryan Reed, who was ninth.

Logano, who started fourth in the Team Penske No. 12 Ford, was in front to start the final stage with 102 laps left and re-took the lead after a cycle of green-flag pit stops with 55 laps left.

Logano was first out of the pits after a debris caution and held the lead on the restart with 33 laps remaining.

Logano then held on following three more cautions, the last coming when Matt Tifft ran into Spencer Gallagher and spun out.

Why did he want the inside on the restart?

There was an additional wreck at the end, but not early enough to give Larson one more restart chance.

Busch started from the pole and just edged Larson to win the first 45-lap segment despite dealing with vibration issues.

Larson beat Busch out of the pits on the ensuing caution, but later gave up the lead to get new tires, as teams still work on the proper strategy for segment racing.

But the move allowed Keselowski, who will start from the pole in Sunday’s Cup race, take the second stage after 90 laps ahead of Busch.

Keselowski had an unscheduled pit stop early in the final segment because of a loose wheel and ended up 10th.

Busch, last year’s Xfinity winner, finished seventh.

Wallace appeared ill at the driver meeting and went to the infield care center following the race.