Team Penske NASCAR XFINITY Series Race Report - Auto Club
March 16, 2018
Track: Auto Club Speedway
Race: Roseanne 300
Date: March 17, 2018
No. 22 America's Tire Ford Mustang – Joey Logano
Start: 2nd
Stage 1: 1st
Stage 2: 1st
Finish: 1st (29th career NXS victory)
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 150/150
Laps Led: 139
Owner Points Position (ahead of second): 1st (+19)
Notes:
- Joey Logano recorded his 29th career NASCAR XFINITY Series victory on Saturday afternoon, winning the Roseanne 300 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Cali.
- Logano started second but wasted little time claiming the lead from polesitter Christopher Bell at lap 6, and continued to lead the remainder of the opening 35-lap stage.
- A quick pit stop by the No. 22 America's Tire crew maintained the lead for Logano on the stage break, securing the lead to begin the second stage. During the stop, the team adjusted on the tight handling condition with air pressure and adding tape to the nose of the Ford Mustang.
- Logano led every lap in the second stage, which was halted two laps shy of completion by a caution flag. Logano reported that the team had made about 20 percent of the adjustment he needed on the first stop of the afternoon.
- During the pit stop at the conclusion of stage 2, the America's Tire crew made wedge and air pressure adjustments on the No. 22 Mustang, hoping to correct the tight condition Logano reported on corner exit.
- On the third pit stop of the race at lap 98, Logano reported that the handling of the America's Tire Mustang was only slightly loose, but he felt faster so asked for no adjustments.
- At lap 110, after only three green flag laps on tires, the majority of the field pitted as the No. 22 Ford team elected to stay on the track. Logano was able to maintain the lead, despite having older tires than all the cars lined up behind him.
- At lap 122, the team elected to pit for fresh tires, however, the remainder of the field remained on the track. Logano would restart in the 17th position, but would quickly drive to the lead in under five laps.
- Logano continued to lead for the remainder of the event, leading 139 of the 150 laps in the race, claiming his 29th career NASCAR XFINITY Series race.
Quote: "The car was really good. It was a total team effort, though. I was talking to Wilson afterwards and even my crew chief on the other side, Todd Gordon, and I said, 'Man, if we don't win this race tomorrow, we really screwed something up.' It's one of those races and one of those cars that is so good that you just hope that you don't screw something up and don't win the race when you have a car like that. The pit crew did an excellent job. Every time we came down pit road we came out where we were and we were able to have good strategy, good pit stops and a quick car, so everything went as planned and we were able to be here in Victory Lane. It's nice when you have a car that dominant and you win the race. It stings a lot when you don't win a race and your car is like that, so it's more of a relief than anything right now."