Logano takes checkered flag in haze of Bristol dirt

Joey Logano celebrates after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Monday, March 29, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Joey Logano celebrates after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Monday, March 29, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Somewhere under the thick red haze floating over Bristol Motor Speedway, Joey Logano took the checkered flag for NASCAR's first Cup Series race at a dirt track in 50 years.

He couldn't see much -- visibility was next to nothing during this Monday dust storm -- but Logano clung to the familiar bottom lane around the bullring to collect the checkered flag on this NASCAR experiment.

Logano got a jump on Denny Hamlin on the overtime restart to earn his third career victory at Bristol. But this was not the Bristol of old: The track had been covered with 2,300 truckloads of red Tennessee clay so that NASCAR could add a dirt track to the Cup schedule for the first time since 1970.

"How about Bristol on dirt, guys! This is incredible," Logano said to the crowd, a reduced capacity sellout of about 30,000 fans. "There's nothing like winning at Bristol, but putting it on dirt and being the first to do it is very special."

Logano became the seventh race winner through seven races this season and gave Team Penske back-to-back victories. Ryan Blaney won in a Penske Ford last week.

The Logano victory closed a weekend of uncertainty and even some hysteria as NASCAR launched this drive through the dirt. It was broadcast partner Fox who wanted a dirt race on the Cup schedule and Speedway Motorsports, seeking some new energy at its beloved Bristol bullring, said it would take the race.

So NASCAR awarded the experiment to Bristol, bypassing dozens of quality established dirt tracks across the country. The snub extended to Tony Stewart, who had successfully hosted seven Truck Series races at his Eldora Speedway dirt track in Ohio but said he was never considered for a Cup race.

Marcus Smith, the CEO of Speedway Motorsports, insisted concrete Bristol was up to the challenge and told The Associated Press he'd spent nearly $2 million to make the dirt dream a reality.

Smith was pleased with the buzz generated by the event, even as NASCAR huddled for solutions to extreme dust, poor tire durability and shifting weather conditions that made the buildup a muddy mess. When race day finally arrived, torrential overnight rains had flooded the Bristol grounds and NASCAR had to postpone Sunday's show by a day.

Through all the consternation, Smith remained optimistic and headed to the track Monday morning convinced this dirt project was a success. The final product was a doubleheader -- Martin Truex Jr. won his first Truck Series race in 15 years to open the day -- and then Logano closed the Cup race with the overtime victory.

Everyone seemed happy, and before the race was even over, the track announced over the public-address system that Bristol would run on dirt again next season.

"It's only my fourth dirt race ever, so I had a lot of fun trying to figure it out," Logano said. "I was having a blast racing, trying to find the right lanes, moving around."

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., a veteran dirt racer, was second for his highest finish of the season. Hamlin, who had last raced on dirt in go-karts when he was 8, finished third.

Daniel Suarez was a season-best fourth for new team Trackhouse Racing, which is part-owned by Pitbull. Suarez's first drive on dirt came in a Friday practice, and he caught on so quickly that he led his first laps of the season -- 58 of them in all -- and even bumped Logano out of his way to take over the point.

But Logano took over with 61 laps remaining and wasn't challenged until the final restart when the race went to a two-lap overtime.

Ryan Newman, who in the past few years began racing a bit on dirt with some regularity, finished a season-high fifth.

Driver Joey Logano (22) leads Denny Hamlin (11) through Turn 4 during an NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Monday, March 29, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Driver Joey Logano (22) leads Denny Hamlin (11) through Turn 4 during an NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Monday, March 29, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Driver Joey Logano (22) leads Denny Hamlin (11) through Turn 4 during an NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Monday, March 29, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Driver Joey Logano (22) leads Denny Hamlin (11) through Turn 4 during an NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Monday, March 29, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Joey Logano is handed the checkered flag after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Monday, March 29, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Joey Logano is handed the checkered flag after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Monday, March 29, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Driver Aric Almirola (10) collides with Anthony Alfredo (38) during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Monday, March 29, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Driver Aric Almirola (10) collides with Anthony Alfredo (38) during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Monday, March 29, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Driver Denny Hamlin (11) leads Kyle Busch (18), Ryan Blaney (12), and others as they enter the back straight to start a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Monday, March 29, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Driver Denny Hamlin (11) leads Kyle Busch (18), Ryan Blaney (12), and others as they enter the back straight to start a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Monday, March 29, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Driver Kyle Larson (5) pushes Christopher Bell (20) down pit road after a wreck during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Monday, March 29, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Driver Kyle Larson (5) pushes Christopher Bell (20) down pit road after a wreck during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Monday, March 29, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Driver Aric Almirola (10) collides with Anthony Alfredo (38) during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Monday, March 29, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Driver Aric Almirola (10) collides with Anthony Alfredo (38) during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Monday, March 29, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Driver Kyle Larson (5) pushes Christopher Bell (20) after a wreck during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Monday, March 29, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Driver Kyle Larson (5) pushes Christopher Bell (20) after a wreck during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Monday, March 29, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Member of the pit crew for driver Bubba Wallace (23) work on his car during a competition caution of a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Monday, March 29, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
Member of the pit crew for driver Bubba Wallace (23) work on his car during a competition caution of a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Monday, March 29, 2021, in Bristol, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)

Upcoming Events