Joey Logano started second and finished 37th in Saturday night’s Go Bowling 400 at Kansas Speedway after a lap 199 mechanical failure triggered a three car accident in turn 1. The race got off to a difficult start for the No. 22 AAA Insurance Ford team as Logano battled a loose car on the initial start, dropping him to the bottom half of the top-10 in the opening laps. To add complexity to the situation, Logano reported that he struck a piece of debris on the fifth lap of the event, which caused damage to the lower nose and splitter section of the Fusion. Team Penske competition director Travis Geisler, who was tasked with calling race strategy for the team, began making a plan to both work on the handling of the car and repair the damage on the AAA Insurance Ford. The team pitted twice under the first caution of the event, repairing the damage and adjusting on the car. Logano would find himself battling back from the 33rd position for the remainder of the first stage and all of the second stage, finally reaching the top-10 before the second stage concluded at lap 160. The team continued to move forward, battling inside the top-10, aided in part by stellar pit stops throughout the race, gaining multiple positions on pit road on two stops, while posting single digit gains on the others. Logano reported the handling was significantly better at the conclusion of the second stage, and the team pitted for more adjustments, hoping to give the driver what he needed to battle for the win in the closing laps. Unfortunately, at lap 199, the evening ended as the No. 22 Ford broke and collected fellow Ford drivers Danica Patrick and Aric Almirola. The accident marked the second consecutive DNF for the No. 22 Ford Fusion, and the second consecutive in the May race at Kansas Speedway, a track where Logano has visited victory lane twice in his career.

“Yeah, I’m okay. Just saying a lot of prayers for Aric (Almirola) right now. A lot of us took a hard hit. Something broke on my car, I don’t know what it was. I noticed it as I was trying to go in. I tried to back it off but you’re going 215 (mph) and it’s hard to check up. The car just took a bit step sideways into the corner and I hooked Danica (Patrick). I haven’t seen a replay yet, I don’t know what happened. You can see the right-front popped (right there) and it popped. I just hope everyone is okay. I hope Aric is alright. That’s the last thing you want to see, a big hit like that for anyone. It’s unfortunate for everyone. Let’s hope that Aric is alright.”