Moments that changed the course of the 28th race of the 2014 season
RESTARTS KEY TO LOGANO'S WIN
Joey Logano got a good jump on a green-white-checkered restart, allowing him to hold off rookie Kyle Larson and win Sunday's Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
The Connecticut native took the lead for good after a restart following the 13th of 15 caution periods as he got past Kevin Harvick, who led a race-high 104 laps (out of 303), finished third while Jamie McMurray and Jimmie Johnson rounded out the top five.
Logano's fourth win of the season was his second career win at Loudon. It also guarantees him a spot in the Contender Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
Chase leader and Logano's Team Penske teammate who is also in the Contender Round, Brad Keselowski, started on the pole for the fourth time this season, led 78 laps and finished seventh.
FOUR CHASE DRIVERS INVOLVED IN MID-RACE WRECK
Contact between Matt Kenseth and Jamie McMurray on Lap 180 led to a five-car incident that involved four of the 16 drivers in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup during Sunday's Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Kyle Busch suffered the most damage, with his No. 18 Toyota smacking the back of the No. 20 when Kenseth checked up. Not only did Busch's car take damage, the contact sent him spinning into the infield grass. Kasey Kahne and Ryan Newman were also involved.
"It's absolutely destroyed," Busch said over his radio. Urged by crew chief Dave Rogers, the No. 18 team did not go to the garage but spent time on pit road fixing the problem.
Four ensuing cautions over the next 25 laps ensured that none of the drivers involved lost any laps.
FUELING ISSUE KNOCKS HAMLIN OUT OF CONTENTION
Denny Hamlin, one of 16 drivers in this year’s Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field, suffered an early setback Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway when a fueling issue dropped the Joe Gibbs Racing driver four laps down to the leaders.
Hamlin led 32 laps in the race before he had to pit under green-flag conditions on Lap 96.
"We're not getting fuel in the car; just barely," Hamlin was told of the need for the early stop.
"What do you mean we're not getting fuel in the car?," he responded.
Team members said there was an issue with the fuel probe that was not allowing fuel to flow into the fuel cell, leading to a frank exchange between Hamlin and crew chief Darian Grubb.
When a caution appeared at Lap 105 for debris, Hamlin pitted to correct the problem. He returned to the track just as the field was taking the green flag at Lap 113, and was four laps down to race leader Kevin Harvick.