AVONDALE, Ariz. – Joey Logano started Sunday’s Camping World 500 from the pole and led 82 laps, but his race ended suddenly and dramatically when his right front tire blew as the No. 22 Ford approached Turn 1 on Lap 307 of a scheduled 312.
Logano’s misfortune stalled a promising run by Kyle Busch—his adversary from a week ago at Las Vegas—and gave Ryan Newman’s crew chief, Luke Lambert, the opportunity to make the strategic call that won the race.
“We just blew a right front,” Logano said after exiting the infield care center. “Probably just overheated the bead (an analysis Goodyear subsequently confirmed). I’m sure that is what it was. There’s not much you can do when the right front blows out.
“We had a good car in the beginning of the race and then just fell off and got a pit road speeding penalty, and it was hard to get back up there. We were getting closer but our long run speed was off. We have to figure out how to get faster here on the long run.”
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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