If the start-finish line at Talladega Superspeedway was located in the same area of the track as Daytona International Speedway, then Joey Logano would have been the winner of Saturday’s Sparks Energy 300. Instead, Logano was left climbing out of a wrecked racecar after contact with eventual winner Elliott Sadler.
Logano was leading the field as they approached Talladega’s tri-oval on the final lap when Sadler attempted a move on the outside of Logano’s No. 22 Discount Tire Ford.
While Logano was able to fend off the initial challenge, Sadler responded by attempting to dive to the bottom of the track and get under him. The move failed, and the two drivers made contact, hooking Logano and sending him spinning to the inside.
Logano then bounced off of Sadler, and was sent careening into the outside wall at speeds in excess of 100 mph.
What followed was a vicious hit for Logano into the wall, followed by a head-on hit from Kaulig Racing’s Blake Koch, who was running mid-pack.
Replay: Check out today's CRAZY finish at @TalladegaSuperS.@Elliott_Sadler @brennanpoole #NASCAR @NASCAR_XFINITYhttps://t.co/OTMrMvDZi8
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) April 30, 2016
Thankfully, both drivers were checked and released from the infield care center after the race.
“We crashed pretty hard,” said Logano to FOX Sports after the incident. “It is just typical superspeedway racing … racing for the win at the end. I know Elliott is a great speedway racer and he knew what he had to do to win the race, and I knew I what I had to do to try to keep him behind me.
“He went to make the move on the top and then he pulled it down to the bottom and got underneath me, and then I was a little late to the block. He was already there. Around I went and hit a bunch of other stuff along the way.”
Koch was credited with a 24th-place finish, while Logano’s day ended in 27th.
Aaron Bearden is a Frontstretch alumnus who’s come back home as the site’s Short Track Editor. When he isn’t working with our grassroots writers, he can be found talking about racing on his Morning Warmup newsletter, pestering his wife/dog or convincing himself the Indiana Pacers can win an NBA title.