Joey Logano’s day in NASCAR’s Cup series race at Talladega Superspeedway ended early Sunday. On lap 59 Logano was among the leaders racing back to the line to end Stage 1. Racing on the outside lane behind Matt DiBenedetto, Logano had to slow stacking up the field behind him. Denny Hamlin just behind Logano dropped out of line getting into the rear of Logano’s Ford sending the car sideways entering turn 3. The car flipped sliding by the Toyota of Bubba Wallace; Logano’s Ford ended up back on four wheels, but he was done for the day.
“I guess I don’t know exactly what to think,” Logano said after being cleared at the infield medical center. “It is a product of this racing.
“On one hand, I am so proud to drive a Cup car that is safe, and that I can go through a crash like that and get out and speak about it.
“On one hand, I am mad about being in the crash and on the other, I am happy to be alive. On another hand, I am wondering when we are going to stop because this is dangerous doing what we are doing. I got a roll bar in my head. That is not okay.
“I am one hit away from the same situation Ryan Newman just went through.
“I just don’t feel like that is acceptable. A lot of it is the big spoiler and the big runs and all the pushing. It is nobody’s fault. Denny (Hamlin) is trying to go and the 47 is trying to go. It is a product of this racing.”
“We have to fix it though. Someone already got hurt and we are still doing it, so that’s not real smart. At the same time, I am appreciative of driving a car that is this safe and what Team Penske has done for the safety of these cars so that I can live to talk about it and go again. I got lucky that I didn’t get hit while I was in the air. It is unfortunate for our Autotrader Mustang but we will go on but it won’t be a good starting spot next week.”
Logano was referring to the crash at the end of the 2020 Daytona 500 involving Ryan Newman that put Newman in the hospital for several days.
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
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