Joey Logano is aware of precisely the place he misplaced the factors he wanted to advance within the NASCAR Cup Sequence playoffs – not that it makes him really feel any higher.
Logano was eradicated from championship competition Sunday on the Charlotte Roval, arising brief by 4 factors. The ultimate spot went to Tyler Reddick, who used contemporary tires within the closing run of the race to achieve the mandatory positions to overhaul Logano. As the sector ran earlier than the ultimate warning flew with 29 laps to go, Logano was mathematically forward of Reddick.
The 2-time Cup Sequence champion from Crew Penske would have had the tiebreaker had it come right down to it. Reddick went from twenty sixth to eleventh place on the end. Logano, who restarted sixth, fell to an eighth-place end.
“[I feel] offended in the intervening time, and I suppose it’s bittersweet as a result of we nonetheless have one thing to race for by way of the top of the yr with the proprietor’s championship,” Logano instructed RACER. “We will nonetheless spoil the get together somewhat bit [and] we’ll combat for that, and I like that a part of it.
“But it surely’s onerous not to consider the place 4 factors lay, and actually it lays on the entry of Flip 3 at Richmond. [That’s] actually the place it’s, so it’s onerous to not really feel offended proper now.”
Richmond Raceway was Aug. 11. Logano led on the final lap going into Flip 3 when he was spun by Austin Dillon, who got here from a number of automobile lengths again to make contact. Dillon wanted a win to make the postseason, and he did win the race, however having additionally made contact with Denny Hamlin in Flip 4, NASCAR stripped his postseason eligibility.
Logano went from first place to nineteenth from the spin, leaving him with 32 factors. A victory that evening would have netted Logano 5 playoff factors that he would have carried by way of the playoffs.
Coincidentally, the ultimate warning Sunday afternoon that allowed Reddick to come back to pit highway for contemporary tires was due to Dillon. The left entrance wheel left free throughout Dillon’s pit cease automobile got here off.
The race restarted with 26 laps to go. Reddick started selecting off one competitor a lap. The hole was 4 factors between Logano and Reddick with 18 laps to go as Logano ran sixth and Reddick was seventeenth. The hole was gone, and so they have been tied, with 11 laps to go as Logano fell to seventh place and Reddick was as much as 14th.
It was with 12 laps to go when the factors swung in Reddick’s course. The 23XI Racing driver moved as much as twelfth place whereas Logano was nonetheless seventh. Over the ultimate laps, Reddick saved transferring ahead. Logano stalled out.
“As soon as he began ahead, I assumed we have been going to be in bother there as a result of we weren’t going ahead anymore and the rear tires have been shot on the automobile,” Logano stated. “I knew they have been going to be coming at me.”
Logano’s No. 22 continues to be eligible for the proprietor’s championship whereas Reddick, though he beat Logano within the driver’s championship hunt, is eradicated within the proprietor’s hunt. Reddick’s No. 45 automobile didn’t have as many playoff factors within the proprietor’s championship as a result of it didn’t win the common season championships (Kyle Larson’s No. 5 automobile did).
That’s the small solace Logano has leaving Charlotte.
“We’ve nonetheless bought lots to combat for,” he stated. “We have now an opportunity at successful the silent championship that also pays very well, so we’ll go for that.”
