AVONDALE, Ariz.—Joey Logano said his NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race effort is going according to plan—overcoming a couple of glitches in Saturday’s pre-race inspection at Phoenix Raceway.
Logano’s No. 22 Team Penske Ford failed technical inspection twice before qualifying, at a price. Car chief Tommy Ellis was ejected from the track, and the No. 22 team lost pit selection, with the stall he’ll use assigned at NASCAR’s discretion.
Nevertheless, Logano qualified second for Sunday’s Championship Race, behind only non-Playoff driver Martin Truex Jr.
Logano’s car made it through tech on the third try, limiting the potential damage. The two-time champion dismissed the inspection issues as something over which he has no control.
“There’s nothing I can do about it, right?” Logano said. “I have to focus on my job. That’s out of my hands, what goes on with that stuff.
“So obviously when it comes down to this, everyone is pushing and trying on get as much as they can. We thought we fixed it enough the first time, and we didn’t. Then you have to fix it even more, to really make sure you make it through.
“So just pushing the edge and just didn’t quite get by with what where we thought was OK, but obviously it was too far.”
-NASCAR Wire
