TALLADEGA, Ala. – Joey Logano escaped injury after being involved in a wild crash on the final lap of stage one during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
Logano was running third on lap 60 when the incident occurred. Behind Logano, fourth-place Denny Hamlin attempted to dive below Logano but got turned off the nose of fifth-place Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Hamlin’s Toyota then made contact with Logano’s Ford, which sent Logano’s Ford spinning as the field raced into turn three. After slight contact from Stenhouse entering the corner, Logano’s Ford then took flight and sailed through the air.
The car landed on its roof in turn three before sliding up the track and eventually flipping back over. The car then slid down the track and came to rest in the grass between turns three and four.
Logano was uninjured in the crash, but he had strong words for NASCAR officials after being checked and released from the infield care center.
“I guess I don’t know exactly what to think,” Logano said. “It is a product of this racing. On one hand, I am so proud to drive a Cup car that is safe, and that I can go through a crash like that and get out and speak about it. On one hand, I am made about being in the crash and on the other, I am happy to be alive.
“On another hand, I am wondering when we are going to stop because this is dangerous doing what we are doing. I got a roll bar in my head. That is not okay. I am one hit away from the same situation Ryan Newman just went through (at the 2020 Daytona 500). I just don’t feel like that is acceptable.
“A lot of it is the big spoiler and the big runs and all the pushing. It is nobody’s fault. Denny (Hamlin) is trying to go and the 47 is trying to go. It is a product of this racing. We have to fix it though. Someone already got hurt and we are still doing it, so that’s not real smart.
“I got lucky that I didn’t get hit while I was in the air. It is unfortunate for our Autotrader Mustang but we will go on but it won’t be a good starting spot next week.”