Logano wins Las Vegas as Busch misses out on weekend sweep

[March 05, 2019]  Those NASCAR fans wondering which team would master the Monster Energy Cup Series' new rules package at intermediate race tracks appear to have an early season answer -- Team Penske.

Penske driver Joey Logano held off teammate Brad Keselowski to win Sunday's 400-miler at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

"Team Penske, one-two, shows the speed we got," Logano said. "We had a lot of speed last week. Brad was able to get it. This week he was second and us first. What a great day for Team Penske and Ford."

A week ago, Keselowski won at Atlanta Motor Speedway in his Ford Mustang in the debut of the new rules package, which features big rear-deck spoilers and engines fitted with power draining taped spacers.

Logano moved past Keselowski and into the lead with 23 laps to go. Once out front for a final time, the defending series championship pulled away a bit but then had to hold on to notch a .23-second victory over his teammate.

Keselowski said of the close finish, "Touched. Too nice to him. It's all right. Real good day for Team Penske."

The victory was the 22nd of Logano's career and first in Las Vegas.

"What a great race," he said. "Brad and I were so evenly matched and the way the draft works (in this year's cars), you just can't drive away. Brad was catching me so quick and I got stuck behind a lapped car and I was like, oh no. But man, it was so close and to be able to get it there at the end -- that was a lot of fun."

Joe Gibbs Racing's Kyle Busch needed a win at his home track to complete a weekend sweep of the three NASCAR races at Vegas. Things looked good for him as he was scored as the leader when he headed to the pits under green in Stage 2. But the 2015 series champion came onto pit road hot and was hit with a speeding penalty.

Monster Energy NASCARCup Series driver Kevin Harvick (4) leads the field at the start of the to the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports

Busch -- who won Friday's Truck Series race and then Saturday's Xfinity Series race in OT -- battled back in the final stage and finished third.

"I certainly screwed up our day," Busch said of the speeding penalty. "Just ruined it for us. Whatever. Next week."

Kevin Harvick of Stewart-Haas Racing finished fourth in a race he won in dominating fashion a year ago. He led a race-best 88 laps on Sunday -- that was two more laps led than Logano.

Harvick, who has two victories at the 1.5-mile Vegas track, started from the pole and led -- by margins of more than 4 seconds -- until he pitted under green on Lap 45. When the pitting cycled through, Harvick was back in the lead. From there, he cruised to an easy Stage 1 victory.

Logan held off Harvick to win the 80-lap second stage.

Racing moves to Phoenix next weekend.

--Field Level Media

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