Sunday’s race advanced right into a head-to-head battle between Group Penske and Trackhouse Racing, and because the warning together with a checkered flag waved over the beginning/end line, Joey Logano crossed because the winner forward of Daniel Suarez. However with a purpose to get a full view of how the end performed out, we now have to rewind the clock a bit.
On Lap 178 of 260, a lot of the area got here down pit street for the ultimate time. This included Joey Logano, Daniel Suarez, and Ross Chastain. As for Ryan Blaney, his race practically ended practically 30 laps later. A mistake from Chris Buescher despatched Blaney into the surface wall with 56 laps to go earlier than he slid down the observe and into the aspect of Martin Truex Jr.’s automotive. Shockingly, the physique harm wasn’t sufficient to severely hinder the No. 12 Group Penske Ford. The group did intensive work to the left aspect and in addition gave him 4 contemporary tires. (Appropriately, the automotive was sponsored by ‘Dent Wizard’ for the race weekend.)
Joey Logano, Group Penske, Autotrader Ford Mustang, Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Racing, Quaker State Chevrolet Camaro, Ryan Blaney, Group Penske, Dent Wizard Ford Mustang take the white flag
Photograph by: Lesley Ann Miller / Motorsport Photographs
These tires proved advantageous, as one other driver who pitted for contemporary rubber rapidly rocketed to the entrance — Ty Gibbs. He was main the best way with Kyle Busch in scorching pursuit when a curious warning for a wayward Wal-Mart banner on the observe arrange a dash to the end.
With a push from Logano, Suarez was in a position to take the lead from Gibbs, just for Busch to place the Mexican driver three-wide. This seemed prefer it may be the top of his shot on the victory. However proper then, his teammate Chastain dropped from the surface to the center, lastly connecting the 2. On the identical time, Chastain’s transfer allowed Blaney to tug up behind fellow Penske driver Logano.
With these teammates locked collectively, Gibbs might do little to defend as each Suarez and Logano pulled to his exterior. The far inside line with Gibbs and Busch then disintegrated and so they had been swallowed up by the pack.
Joey Logano, Group Penske, Autotrader Ford Mustang, Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Racing, Quaker State Chevrolet Camaro and Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing, He Will get Us Toyota Camry
Photograph by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
Suarez and Chastain held the underside lane, however that rapidly modified as a crash by Noah Gragson pushed the race into additional time. Logano was scored because the race chief, giving him the choice to choose a lane. He took the underside, forcing the Trackhouse drivers to maneuver up prime. Suarez later stated that he was “fairly assured” within the exterior line’s means to prevail, so he was unconcerned.
Nonetheless, there was one other main issue to contemplate. Blaney had 30 lap brisker tires than anybody round him, permitting him to essentially maintain that automotive planted whereas shoving Logano ahead. The tandem drafters had been neck-and-neck on the restart. The pivotal second got here in Flip 3. Blaney selected to again off Logano’s bumper simply earlier than getting into the nook whereas Chastain, on a lot older tires than Blaney, remained glued to Suarez. Chastain’s No. 1 Chevrolet pushed up the observe, breaking the drivers aside and leaving Suarez to fend for himself.
Chastain tried to get again to him and did for a second getting into Flip 1 on the white flag lap, solely to push up once more. The win was slipping away, however Chastain was now lined up with one other Chevy [Chase Elliott] instantly behind him. Nonetheless, on the identical time, Christopher Bell shot up the center and ensured the Trackhouse drivers had been by no means getting again collectively. Simply then, a clumsy bump despatched Chastain into the surface wall whereas Logano skipped away with the race win. This igniting a race-ending crash, however both manner, the race was misplaced the second the Trackhouse drivers grew to become disconnected.
Joey Logano, Group Penske, Autotrader Ford Mustang
Photograph by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
Suarez was in a position to maintain on for second place, leaving Atlanta with a 22-point benefit, however after coming agonizingly near the sweep, all he might take into consideration was the misplaced win.
“No, undoubtedly not happy,” he admitted. “I’m proud of it, however not happy. I misplaced my pusher, my teammate. He was doing an excellent job, and I felt like we had been going to have an excellent shot at it. Ross was doing an incredible job of pushing, and I don’t know if he obtained a flat tire or one thing, however as soon as I misplaced him, I knew it was going to be powerful. However, that’s a part of racing, proper?
Suarez now has two runner-up finishes and one win in his final three Cup races at Atlanta. “It was a very good day,” he added. “Each time you get second, it is that shut, you’re feeling such as you had been in place to win, and also you did not win, it does not matter in the event you obtained a very good factors day or not. I do not really feel actually good proper now. But it surely’s a part of it.”
Joey Logano, Group Penske, Autotrader Ford Mustang, Winner, Victory Lane, Ryan Blaney, Group Penske, Dent Wizard Ford Mustang
Photograph by: Gavin Baker / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
Blaney was simply shocked to be in competition after practically enduring a race-ending crash with round 60 laps remaining.
“Truthfully I am unable to imagine we obtained again up the place we did,” stated the reigning Cup champion. “The 12 boys did a extremely good job fixing it. I am shocked it did not have extra harm than what it did. From my seat, I obtained drilled within the left rear or the door I suppose is the place he hit me. The best rear obtained off the fence. I did not understand how broken we had been. I used to be form of in a position to carve up via visitors and will form of get via the center fairly good. Actually happy with the hassle”
In contrast to Chastain, Blaney is a part of the playoffs and so he wasn’t simply searching for his teammate within the closing laps. He admitted that there was “a considered going three-wide on the frontstretch,” however he thought higher of it. “I am like, man, it will be tight, we have already got a very good day going, nice factors, all that stuff. Yeah, third, a extremely good day … This factor seems to be ugly, however actually good end.”
Blaney is now 45 factors above the cut-line whereas Logano turns into the primary driver to lock himself into the Spherical of 12.