Posted on by Staff Report

Meet Joe, Official NASCAR Fan Council member of the month

Name: Joe

Current City: Riverdale, New Jersey

Hometown: Lincoln Park, New Jersey

Member since: 2012

Getting to know Joe

Q. Why did you join the Official NASCAR Fan Council?

"Growing up in New Jersey, I was always fascinated with auto racing. When fathers would take their sons to the ballparks to watch baseball, my father would take me to the racetrack. When fathers would sit down with their sons to watch sports on TV, my father would watch NASCAR with me. NASCAR and auto racing in general have always been an intricate part of my life. As I have grown older, I have had the opportunity to attend more races than I have ever before. Now, because of NASCAR and the NASCAR Fan Council, I have the opportunity to become even more involved. When the opportunity presented itself to join the NASCAR Fan Council, I jumped at it. I joined the NASCAR Fan Council because I wanted to take an active role in helping to make the sport that I love to watch better for not only the fans’ interests but also for the overall welfare of the sport. To have the opportunity to be involved with an organization such as NASCAR who actively solicits opinions from its fans is an honor that I take very seriously."

Q. What comes to mind when you think of NASCAR? What’s your favorite NASCAR memory?

"When I think of NASCAR, I think of a sense of community, family, excitement, and passion. From compassionate race fans to the hard working people in the motorsports industry, you won’t find a better experience at a sporting event than at a NASCAR race weekend. My favorite NASCAR memory was my first Daytona 500 in 2011. I had the opportunity to go behind the scenes to not only meet some NASCAR personalities up close such as Steve Byrnes from Fox Sports, but also was able to watch a young rookie named Trevor Bayne win his first Daytona 500 and see him celebrate in Victory Lane — something that I won’t ever forget. It truly was a memorable weekend."

Q: Do you have a favorite in any of the following categories?

Driver: "Martin Truex Jr."

Track: "Daytona International Speedway"

Memorabilia: "I like to collect pins and decals from events and races I attend."

Q: If you could go to any NASCAR race/track, where would you go?

"Talladega Superspeedway"

Q: What do you like to do in your free time?

"I love to play golf, run marathons, and skeet shoot."

Q: Tell us about your family. Do you have children and/or pets?

"I am married to a huge Kyle Busch fan. We don’t have any children but have a cat."

Q: What’s your dream car?

"1983 Ford Thunderbird (Just like Stroker Ace’s)"

From all of us at NASCAR, we thank Joe for his continued support and look forward to hearing from him in 2015! Look for Joe on the Official NASCAR Fan Council page on NASCAR.COM.

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Logano calls Kenseth ‘complete coward’ | Photos of the incident

 

The Joey Logano–Matt Kenseth rivalry has blossomed during the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, culminating Sunday at Martinsville Speedway when Kenseth ran Logano into the fence late in the Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500.


Logano was leading with less than 50 laps to go when Kenseth, who was not on the lead lap, initiated contact that wrecked both cars. The two previously had an incident at Kansas Speedway, in which Logano’s nudge of Kenseth’s car while racing for the lead led to the No. 20 spinning out.

 

Kenseth did not advance to the Eliminator Round, while Logano was the top seed in the standings entering Sunday’s race.

So, what did you think about Sunday’s incident? Let us know in the poll below.

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Full race results | Series standings | Chase Grid

Below is a breakdown of how the full 43-car field fared at Martinsville Speedway:

1. Jeff Gordon, No. 24 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. In his final Martinsville run, Gordon kept alive his Drive for Five and earned his ninth grandfather clock. WATCH: Gordon jumps for joy

2. Jamie McMurray, No. 1 Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing. McMurray managed to avoid the late-race fracas and unsuccessfully tried different lines to catch Gordon in the closing laps.

3. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Two pit road speeding penalties and a spin on-track only momentarily stalled Hamlin, who opted not to pit with 39 laps to go and briefly moved into the lead.

4. Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 88 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. “We might as well get an attempt at it (the final restart), but it’s pretty dark,” Earnhardt told his team as he lined up third for the final restart. RELATED: Hear drivers on RaceView.

5. Kyle Busch, No. 18 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Kyle Busch rallied after spinning on Lap 171 when he said his left-side tires made contact with water near the curb.

6. Martin Truex Jr., No. 78 Chevrolet, Furniture Row Racing. Truex kept his Chase hopes alive with his 21st top-10 of the year.

7. Ryan Newman, No. 31 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. “Excuse me, coming through,” Newman radioed as he nudged Kurt Busch up the track to take sixth on Lap 196. RELATED: Hear drivers on RaceView.

8. Kevin Harvick, No. 4 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Harvick restarted ninth late in the race and picked up a spot en route to his 25th top-10 of the year (second to Joey Logano‘s series-leading 26).

9. Kasey Kahne, No. 5 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Kahne’s team made adjustments throughout Sunday’s race trying to find rear grip.

10. Tony Stewart, No. 14 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. After starting from the rear of the field in a backup car, Stewart quietly climbed to his 300th career top-10.

11. AJ Allmendinger, No. 47 Chevrolet, JTG-Daugherty Racing. Allmendinger skipped pit road late in the race to move into second and briefly took the lead before fading on old tires.

12. Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports. Johnson made a late-race pit stop and climbed through the field after restarting 18th with 31 laps left.

13. Justin Allgaier, No. 51 Chevrolet, HScott Motorsports. Allgaier held on despite radioing on Lap 216 while running 21st that he had lost all forward drive.

14. Carl Edwards, No. 19 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. The Chase contender was among the walking wounded early and fought to be the beneficiary with 65 laps to go. | WATCH: Edwards gets damage in contact with No. 18

15. Paul Menard, No. 27 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Menard slipped by a spinning No. 55 on Lap 466 to hold on and earn his 19th top-15 of the year.

16. Aric Almirola, No. 43 Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports. Almirola was dumped onto the apron when the field stacked up on the Lap 113 restart.

17. Casey Mears, No. 13 Chevrolet, Germain Racing. Mears started 19th and used pit strategy to run as high as 13th on Sunday.

18. Austin Dillon, No. 3 Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing. Dillon led six laps before being involved in a spin on Lap 171.

19. Kyle Larson, No. 42 Chevrolet, Chip Ganassi Racing. Larson picked up his best Martinsville finish after notching his best start (ninth) at the paperclip oval.

20. Cole Whitt, No. 35 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Whitt took advantage of many early caution periods to work on the grille opening and stay on the lead lap.

21. Landon Cassill, No. 40 Chevrolet, Hillman Smith Motorsports. Forward bite was an initial issue for Cassill, but appeared to improve when a long green-flag stretch followed a spate of cautions.

22. Alex Bowman, No. 7 Chevrolet, Tommy Baldwin Racing. Brake heat was a key topic on the No. 7 radio as Bowman scored his best Martinsville finish. RELATED: Hear drivers on RaceView.

23. Michael Annett, No. 46 Chevrolet, HScott Motorsports. Annett worked his way back onto the lead lap after spinning early.

24. David Gilliland, No. 38 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Gilliland incurred the wrath of Danica Patrick when he ran her up the track and into the wall on Lap 157. RELATED: Danica retaliates on Gilliland.

25. David Ragan, No. 55 Toyota, Michael Waltrip Racing. Ragan spun with 35 laps to go when he crossed Austin Dillon‘s path.

26. Greg Biffle, No. 16 Ford, Roush-Fenway Racing. Biffle spun twice on Sunday — bringing out the caution each time.

27. Jeb Burton, No. 23 Toyota, BK Racing. Burton was running 32nd when he came down the track and into the path of Sam Hornish Jr. to bring out the 14th caution flag.

28. Sam Hornish Jr., No. 9 Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports. Hornish sustained heavy damage to the nose of his No. 9 Ford and had to pit for repairs during the sixth caution period.

29. J.J. Yeley, No. 26 Toyota, BK Racing. Yeley started 39th and frequently employed the high line to avoid any issues as he picked up a few spots during Sunday’s race.

30. Matt DiBenedetto, No. 83 Toyota, BK Racing. In his second Martinsville outing, DiBenedetto posted his best start and his best finish at the short track.

31. Trevor Bayne, No. 6 Ford, Roush Fenway Racing. Bayne made an unscheduled stop for right-side tires on Lap 79 for a vibration.

32. Brad Keselowski, No. 2 Ford, Team Penske. Keselowski quickly reported to the garage for repairs after getting caught up in the carnage during the Lap 435 restart. | MORE: Keselowski’s Chase hopes take a hit

33. Alex Kennedy, No. 33 Chevrolet, Circle Sport. Survival was Kennedy’s mindset during his second Martinsville outing, which included nine caution flags in the first 186 laps.

34. Kurt Busch, No. 41 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. A steering box issue was a distant memory for Kurt Busch when he was stalled on the Lap 435 restart and then T-boned by a spinning Matt Kenseth. | MORE: Kurt on the bubble after Martinsville

35. Brett Moffitt, No. 34 Ford, Front Row Motorsports. Moffitt’s team changed the battery and checked his alternator early in Sunday’s race.

36. Timmy Hill, No. 62 Chevrolet, Premium Motorsports. Hill made his second Martinsville appearance on Sunday.

37. Joey Logano, No. 22 Ford, Team Penske. Logano enjoyed the first pit stall and appeared to be running away with the win when Kenseth got into him in Turn 1. Logano later told the media, “It’s a chicken you-know-what move to take out the leader when your race is over.” | RELATED: Kenseth wrecks Logano.

38. Matt Kenseth, No. 20 Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing. Martinsville thundered as Kenseth wrecked leader Joey Logano in Turn 4. NASCAR waved the red flag and then invited key personnel on the No. 20 team to a post-race chat. | POLL: Was Kenseth rigth or wrong?

39. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 17, Roush Fenway Racing. Stenhouse slowed in Turn 3 and then reported to the garage after getting into the wall and locking up his right-front tire on Lap 127.

40. Danica Patrick, No. 10 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing. Patrick took her car to the garage before the ninth caution flag for repairs. She later spun to bring out the 13th yellow. | WATCH: Danica retaliates against Gilliland
41. Kyle Fowler, No. 32 Ford, GO FAS Racing. A best Martinsville start was stalled when Fowler hit the wall to bring out the 12th caution.

42. Ryan Preece, No. 98 Ford, Phil Parsons Racing. Brake issues impacted the Martinsville newcomer.

43. Clint Bowyer, No. 15, Michael Waltrip Racing. Bowyer was running 16th when he was tagged by two cars fighting for position beneath him. Bowyer’s spin brought out the ninth caution flag.

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Watch the live stream here

 

From 8-11 a.m. ET on Tuesday, NASCAR.com will live stream the post-race inspection process at the Research & Development Center in Concord, North Carolina.

 

The three-hour look takes you behind the scenes as NASCAR officials inspect NASCAR Sprint Cup Series vehicles following Sunday’s Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

 

The cars at the R&D Center this week are: the No. 24 Chevrolet of Jeff Gordon (won Sunday’s race), the No. 1 Chevrolet of Jamie McMurray (finished second in Sunday’s race), and the No. 5 Chevrolet of Kasey Kahne (the random car selected).

 

For more information on what the inspection process entails, click here.

Posted on by Zack Albert

Editor’s note: The views expressed in this column are solely those of the author.


Are you not entertained?



In a nod to the gladiator era, Martinsville Speedway‘s round in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup postseason worked a packed coliseum into a frenzy Sunday, with Matt Kenseth taking his pound of flesh from Joey Logano in a move that stretched the limits of NASCAR’s unwritten “boys, have at it” policy to let drivers settle differences amongst themselves.



NASCAR’s big-league playoffs channeled shades of a Saturday night showdown at Bowman Gray Stadium, the historic NASCAR-sanctioned short track where weekend warriors fuel their long-running feuds with regular fits of retaliation — all to the delight of the bloodthirsty crowd. Sunday, shockingly, it happened with the cameras rolling on one of stock-car racing’s biggest stages.



RELATED: Logano calls Kenseth a ‘complete coward’


At the center was Kenseth, who — to borrow baseball jargon — had already backed Logano off the plate with instances of hard racing over the course of the first 400 laps. But what happened on Lap 454 was no mere brushback pitch. This was a purposeful beanball directed at the head, the result of bubbling-over tensions from Logano’s punting of Kenseth in a late-race battle for the lead at Kansas Speedway two weeks ago.



In the short trip from his car’s wrecked carcass to the infield care center, Kenseth conjured up mechanical or tire-failure hokum in a thin attempt to explain away the telegraphed laying in wait for payback. Maybe his car wouldn’t turn or stop, but it was driveable enough to plow Logano’s Ford into the wall like so much snow.



The surprising move runs crosscurrent to Kenseth’s mild-mannered and relatively easy-going reputation. But that character has also shown glimpses of a testy nature over his career, with Sunday’s showing, his history of bumper cars at the same Martinsville track with Brian Vickers a few years ago, and his famed post-race tackle between the haulers of Brad Keselowski in the Charlotte Chase race making that short list.


GALLERY: Photos of the incident from the track, garage



Kenseth may not take ownership of the crash or his intent, but it’s a teachable moment and an opportunity for NASCAR officials to take ownership of the competition back in house. Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer, said Sunday evening that series officials were “certainly disappointed” in the run-in and that it merited further discussion, with any possible penalties emerging Tuesday. Even O’Donnell smiled with a “no comment” when asked if Kenseth’s car failure theory was plausible.



Longtime fans would have to dig back into the sport’s lawless, rough-and-tumble early years to find a similar example, but there isn’t really a comparable case in recent memory for Sunday’s antics, where an ailing, laps-down driver decides that a dominant, leading driver won’t make it to the finish.



The Jeff Gordon–Clint Bowyer altercation at Phoenix in November 2012 comes close, with off-the-pace Gordon waiting for Bowyer to pass before ramming his rival, ultimately earning a $100,000 fine and 25-point penalty. Kyle Busch wrecking Ron Hornaday under caution during a truck race at Texas a few years back? Also close, but the two principles in that instance were both on the same lap, racing for position before tensions erupted.



At stock-car racing’s weekly levels, laps-down drivers wait on leading cars to mete out revenge and it’s all part of the show. Is it part of the Sprint Cup show? Tuesday’s anticipated penalty announcement — and the promotional ads pitching the series’ next race this weekend at Texas — will tell the tale.



NASCAR officials want to see emotions from competitors, but they also don’t want to see cars wielded as weapons, especially with hard, intentional hits on the driver’s side. They also want what’s best for fans, who cheered lustily at Sunday’s developments, though it may have been driven as much by Logano’s comeuppance for his recent unapologetic aggression as by Kenseth’s unsavory methods.



Kenseth sent a message by unceremoniously ending Logano’s three-victory streak with gusto. Now it’s NASCAR’s turn to deliver a message, one that resembles a 95-mph fastball high and inside.



Otherwise, it’s time to revise the 2016 schedule to add Bowman Gray to the Chase and allow the “boys, have at it” mantra to spread its wings in the name of entertainment.


POLL: What’s your opinion on incident?

Posted on by Official NASCAR Release

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 2, 2015) — NASCAR today announced that Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer  Brett Jewkes has accepted a senior management position with Atlanta-based AMB Group, LLC, the investment management and support services arm of Arthur Blank’s family of businesses, and will leave his role at NASCAR following Ford Championship Weekend.

 

Jewkes joined NASCAR in 2011 after serving as an outside agency counsel to the sanctioning body beginning in late 2000. At NASCAR, Jewkes has led the company’s Integrated Marketing Communications department and overseen NASCAR’s relationship with the operators of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Working closely with NASCAR senior management, he has played a key role in the development and execution of numerous strategic initiatives, spearheaded the creation of NASCAR’s acclaimed Fan & Media Engagement Center and guided the evolution of the sport’s hall of fame nomination, selection and induction process. Four years after the creation and buildout of NASCAR IMC, the department was named In-House Team of the Year by PRWeek for 2014.

“Brett has made significant contributions to NASCAR as a trusted member of our management team and skilled leader of our world-class communications group,” said NASCAR Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Brian France. “He has passionately promoted NASCAR for the last 15 years and we know he will continue to be a great friend and ambassador for the sport. We wish Brett and his family all the best and continued success in this new opportunity.”

Jewkes joins AMB Group as senior vice president — chief communications officer at a time of exciting growth and will work closely with Blank, who co-founded The Home Depot before establishing AMB Group and building its portfolio of businesses. In addition to the for-profit businesses, Jewkes will also support the efforts of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation.

“I am forever grateful to the France family and my colleagues at NASCAR for the opportunity I’ve had to be a small part of this great sport at such a dynamic time in its history,” said Jewkes. “I’m very proud of what’s been accomplished the last five years and the strong team that is now in place to serve the company and sport very well into the future. Many positive things are happening in NASCAR under Brian’s leadership and the sport’s future is very bright. I’m a proud NASCAR fan who will be cheering for the continued success of everyone at NASCAR and numerous friends throughout the industry.”

Posted on by Pat DeCola

RELATED: Logano: ‘Complete coward move’ | Photos of Sunday’s incident



If there’s anyone who knows about getting retribution on a championship-eligible driver, it’s Martinsville-winner Jeff Gordon.

Gordon, who effectively ended Clint Bowyer‘s title hopes by taking out his No. 15 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota at Phoenix in 2012, was asked about Sunday’s incident in which Matt Kenseth — off the lead lap at the time — wrecked a race-leading Joey Logano two weeks after Logano initiated contact with Kenseth at Kansas.

His initial reaction?

“Wow,” Gordon told Dan Patrick on his radio show. “I had kind of forgotten about it; their issue. I was right behind Matt when the whole wreck happened the first time that kind of took him out of the race. It was a racing incident, but at the same time, I wasn’t putting two and two together at the time of ‘Oh, boy, here comes the redemption.’ I thought it was the 2 car (of Brad Keselowski) that got into Matt, not the 22. When I watched it happen, I was like ‘Oh, my gosh. Did I just see that happen?’

“Of course, for me, the 22 at that time was the biggest threat that we had on the race track to win that race. Things started adding up for me and our team.”




Logano had led a race-high 207 laps to that point and appeared set to wind up in Victory Lane for the fourth straight week to clinch a Championship Round berth before the 20 car intervened. Kenseth, out of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup after the 22 car bumped him while leading at Kansas, certainly appeared determined to make sure Logano faced the same fate.

The move allowed Gordon to take control of the race — and the Chase standings — with two races remaining in the Eliminator Round, leaving Logano in last place and searching for answers.  

“Since then, I’ve had a lot of things go through my mind in that incident. I had a similar incident with Clint Bowyer several years ago, so I can relate to Matt,” Gordon said. “He was taken out of a race win and a shot at the championship in Kansas and right or wrong, when that happens, you aren’t going to forget it. You are going to take that win or championship away from someone else if you get that opportunity and that’s exactly what happened.”

Gordon has had issues with Team Penske drivers before — we’re approaching the anniversary of the four-time champion’s melee with Logano’s teammate Keselowski at Texas Motor Speedway — and seemed to side with fellow 40-plus-year-old Kenseth, who Gordon says he has a “tremendous amount of respect for,” despite their own run-ins with each other.

But was the controversial move fair?

RELATED: Was Kenseth right to wreck Logano?

“Life’s not always fair,” Gordon said. “Here’s the way I look at it. Joey’s been amazing this year and he’s not done yet; I think they can still make it to Homestead and be a major threat. I think he’s the favorite to win this championship.

“Had Joey handled that situation at Kansas slightly better … I mean, he was gloating about it. He was like, ‘Oh, yeah. That’s exactly the way I should’ve raced and he blocked me.’ That’s fine if you feel that way, but guess what? That’s not helping the situation and how (Kenseth’s) going to think about you and not even think twice if he gets in that scenario and in that situation. That’s what I learned in my situation with Bowyer. Yeah, I had regrets. I wish I’d handled it differently, but I also know my raw emotions came out and I reacted. But it’s how you handle it from that point moving forward as to what is going to help you get through it. That goes from both sides; from Joey’s side as well as from Matt’s side.”

In short, Gordon thinks Kenseth felt “like he was disrespected and that he wasn’t going to stand for it anymore.”

As the series now turns to Texas — known for its hot action on the track and on pit road following the race, it’ll be interesting to see what unfolds, as neither driver has any strikes left to give.

RELATED: Logano tweets message saying he ‘will fight’

“It’s a three strikes and you’re out-type situation,” Gordon said. “The Kansas thing happened; that’s strike one. They had some issues at Talladega; that’s strike two. And then boom, this happens at Martinsville and it’s strike three, that’s it. I’ve lost any amount of integrity at this moment because my raw emotions and frustrations have now taken over.

“I think anyone that was in that position, who’s a competitor and has driven a race car, I think, yeah, it’s a good chance — 90 percent of the time — they do the same thing.”

Posted on by Brad Norman

RELATED: Gordon reacts to victory | ‘Smoke’, Chase send congrats

 

Jeff Gordon enjoys some of the most faithful and passionate fans in NASCAR, and as the four-time champion sealed his slot in this season’s Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, he made sure to bring fans into the celebration.

 

 

After holding off Jamie McMurray for the win in Sunday’s Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500, Gordon was overwhelmed with joy, saying, “This is turning into one of these just incredible storybook finishes to this year, to this career. Of all years, I mean, of all years, I cannot believe this. I’m so excited it’s happening in this year.”

 

Gordon said hearing the crowd erupt at the end of the race made him feel like a “rock star.” So he wanted to be with them, and amid the postrace celebration, interviews and photo sessions, Gordon headed into the crowds of fans who stayed late at Martinsville Speedway for a glimpse of their favorite driver on one of his best days.

“I went into the stands afterwards, because it just was non‑stop while we were in Victory Lane,” Gordon said. “People were just staying there. … They just kept chanting the whole time while we were on the stage. It was way cool. I wanted to go say ‘Hi’ to them.” 

 

Some first-time race goers got the show of a lifetime.

And long-time fans got a lasting memory.

The party didn’t stop Sunday night. Gordon fans wore their pride on Monday, too, and posted cheer after cheer on social media.

Posted on by Nascar

RELATED: See photos of the wreck, from the garage | Full race results 


MARTINSVILLE, Va. — The simmering issues between NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano reached a boiling point Sunday at Martinsville Speedway.

And the result found Kenseth’s No. 20 Toyota parked by NASCAR officials while Logano, winner of the last three races in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, suddenly was last in points among the eight Chase contenders.

“It was just a complete coward move, especially for a championship race car driver and race team,” Logano said after exiting the infield care center. “Just a complete coward. I don’t have anything else to say.”

Kenseth, eliminated from Chase contention a week after contact with Logano at Kansas Speedway as the two battled for the lead, was already laps down and nursing a banged-up race car in Sunday’s Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 when he got into Logano on Lap 454 of the 500-lap race, leaving both cars crashed against the wall.


RELATED: Logano bumps Kenseth | Kenseth, Logano at Kansas


Logano, looking poised for a fourth straight win, was leading at the time of the incident.

“It’s a chicken-you-know-what move to completely take out the leader when your race is over,” Logano said. “We’ll move on. We’re going to work hard and we’re going to get our car back out there hopefully. We’ve just got to go win.”

Kenseth said Sunday’s incident was “definitely my fault.

“I got into him,” the Joe Gibbs Racing driver said. “The right front was dragging down there … and man (I) couldn’t get it to turn and collected him.

“I know it’s got to be disappointing for him. It’s a tough sport; some days you’re the bat and some days you’re the ball. I was the ball a few weeks ago and I was the ball again today, so that part of it is never fun.”

Kenseth had suffered damage to his car before the incident on a previous restart when Logano’s Team Penske teammate, Brad Keselowski, slid up and into the JGR entry. Kenseth’s car turned hard to the left as a result, clipping fellow Chase driver Kurt Busch (Stewart-Haas Racing).

NASCAR officials met with members of the No. 20 team, including crew chief Jason Ratcliff and team owner Joe Gibbs, at the conclusion of the race.


WATCH: NASCAR VP discusses boundaries of ‘Boys have at it’


Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer, wouldn’t speculate on impending punishment for Kenseth’s actions on the track.

“We were certainly disappointed with what took place tonight on the race track,” he said. “… Like we always do, there’s still a lot to digest from what happened tonight. We’ll do that. We’ll have some additional conversations and probably come out with something, if there is anything to discuss, on Tuesday.”

That disappointment, he said, stemmed from the fact that the incident involved a driver not in contention for the win, one that “in fact, was many laps down,” he said.

“In our minds, that’s a little bit different than two drivers really going after it coming out of Turn 4 for a win versus what happened tonight,” O’Donnell said.

Todd Gordon, Logano’s crew chief, said his team would “go to Texas (the next stop on the schedule) and win.
 
“We’ve done it before,” he said. “We’ll do it again.”
 
Asked if Kenseth crossed the line, Gordon simply said, “I’ve got an awesome driver in Joey Logano and an awesome team. … They dug and we got back out, didn’t take a DNF.
 
“We did everything and continued to dig all day. We’ll do that; we’ll continue to dig along. We’ve got two more races to make this happen.”


POLL: What’s your opinion on Kenseth vs. Logano?


The crash was not the first incident of the day involving the two drivers. Earlier in the race, Kenseth tapped Logano from behind shortly after a restart on Lap 242 to move into second.

Kenseth, parked by NASCAR officials following the latter crash, was credited with a 38th-place finish. Logano, who returned to the race following repairs to his No. 22 Ford, finished 37th.

Keselowski said his contact with Kenseth on the restart wasn’t intentional and was a result of getting hit from behind, which “pushed me into the 20.”

“My right-front wheel hit Kenseth’s left rear and it just broke the right-front suspension off the car,” he said. “The car wouldn’t turn and just kept going straight until I couldn’t do anything and I wrecked everybody. I just didn’t have any steering wheel left.”


WATCH: Kenseth, Kes make contact at Martinsville


Race winner Jeff Gordon, the first driver to earn a berth in the championship finale later this month at Homestead-Miami Speedway, said he saw the Kenseth/Logano accident unfold but admitted “I wasn’t ready for it.”

“I couldn’t quite see what the 22’s role (Logano) played in it,” he said. “As soon as I went by I thought, ‘Wow, did I just see that?’

“I also put myself in Matt’s shoes. I could relate. I could relate to frustration getting the best of you. … You might have some regrets later, but I understand why you make that choice at the moment.”

Kenseth, a five-time winner this season, won the series title in 2003, the final season before the current Chase format was brought into play. Logano has a series’ leading six victories this season.

“You never like to be in these situations,” Kenseth said. “They really stink to be honest with you, but sometimes you get put in these spots and you’ve got to try to keep respect in the garage area. You can’t get yourself ran over. …

“Like I said, I hated the way it ended.”

Logano, no doubt, did as well.

There were no conversations between the two drivers following the incident.

“They won’t let me get to him,” Logano said.


MORE: Miss the race? Catch up on the Martinsville madness

Posted on by Staff Report

RELATED: Full race results | Gordon locks up spot at Homestead


Jeff Gordon couldn’t contain his emotions following Sunday’s victory at Martinsville Speedway. It was the 93rd win of his career, but his first of 2015 — and it secured him a spot in the Championship Round at Homestead-Miami Speedway.



Here’s what Gordon had to say following the race:



• “I’m telling you, it’s not registering because I can’t believe it. I cannot believe it.  This is turning into one of these just incredible storybook finishes to this year, to this career. Of all years, I mean, of all years, I cannot believe this. I’m so excited it’s happening in this year.”



• “Trust me, we are not going to take that lightly, that opportunity that lies in front of us. This is not, ‘OK, cool, we won Martinsville. We get to be one of the four at Homestead. We’re going to watch them battle for the championship.’ No way. No way. This team is way better than that. Nobody is more driven and excited than this race team is right now.”

• “I mean, it’s not that unusual for us to win a Martinsville race. It’s to be able to do it when so much is at stake, when you know that this is how you get to Homestead, to be one of those final four. For us to be a team that nobody, nobody, had picked to be able to make it to Homestead, I love that we just keep proving them wrong and finding a way to move on. I think that hopefully when we’re at Homestead, people will give us a little more respect of what kind of depth our race team has.”



• “Well, listen, why can’t we win at Homestead? That’s what I say. I think a lot of people didn’t think we could do this, and we have. There’s no reason why we can’t do it there as well. “

• “You don’t just flip a switch and automatically find some magic. But we’ve been working on a lot of things. We’ve been getting better. …  I absolutely think that we’re just as capable as anybody else that’s going to be in that final four.”


• “This is one of the finest moments I think I’ve ever had in my career, I’ll be honest. It’s just because what this year means, that this is my final year, my final race at Martinsville, punching our ticket to Homestead, having my family here, the hard work this team has put together, that reaction from the fans. This is one of my finest moments I’ve ever had. “