RELATED: Full results | Frame-by-frame of Kenseth-Danica collision
Danica Patrick crashed hard into the interior SAFER barrier wall, flipping Matt Kenseth airborne in the process, as the two cars sustained the brunt of the damage in a 12-car wreck with eight laps remaining in Sunday’s GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
Patrick appeared to get loose when shoved from behind by the No. 95 of Michael McDowell. Her No. 10 Chevrolet veered left into Kenseth’s No. 20 Toyota, sending Kenseth flying. Both drivers were up and out of their car and sent to the care center. Patrick’s X-rays came back negative, and she said it was her hardest-ever hit at a superspeedway.
Just before the wreck, Kenseth had been pushed below the double yellow line on the track by Joey Logano, reminding Kenseth, at least, of conflict between the two drivers at the end of last season.
“The first thing that happened is the 22 ran us off the race track,” he said. “I thought we were done with that, but maybe we aren’t.”
Later, FOX cameras caught Kenseth exchanging words with Logano after both had been checked out of the infield care center. The driver of the No. 20 wagged his finger before walking away; Logano smiled throughout the exchange and shook his head.
RELATED: Watch their exchange
“We worked hard all day, but unfortunately didn’t end up as well as we’d like to two days in a row,” Logano said. “A couple big hits, so I can’t wait to get out of this place.”
When told Kenseth seemed upset, Logano said: “OK. He can get in line with the rest of them.”
The two drivers have a history dating back to last year’s Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. On-track contact and incidents throughout the postseason eventually led to Kenseth wrecking a race-leading Logano at Martinsville Speedway in November, a move that netted Kenseth a two-race suspension.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returns to the track next weekend at Kansas Speedway — coincidentally, the spot where contact between Logano and Kenseth instigated their late-season feud.