Brad Keselowski had an opening, Denny Hamlin tried to close it, and the outcome saw the two leaders crash on the final lap, with Joey Logano capitalizing in NASCAR’s exhibition Clash season-opener Sunday at Daytona International Speedway.

Hamlin dominated the second segment of the annual non-points race, and was out front on the white flag lap when a charging Keselowski put a move on him and attempted to move underneath Hamlin, who then blocked Keselowski, resulting in substantial contact between the two. That allowed Logano to pass both and hold off Kyle Busch and Alex Bowman to take the win.

According to the Middletown, Connecticut native “It’s cool to win the Clash,” Logano said. “We came close last year and it’s really neat to be in victory lane.”

With no points on the line, drivers tend to race more aggressively in the Clash than they would in a regular season or playoff race. This mentality often creates a spate of incidents like the one involving Keselowski and Hamlin, neither of whom held a grudge toward the other following the accident. The Clash is the first race of Speedweeks, culminating in next Sunday’s Daytona 500.

“It is the Clash, it’s not the 500 and I guarantee he knows and everyone else who is watching today that I’m gonna make that move again,” Keselowski said.

Danica Patrick finished fourth, with Keselowski fifth. Hamlin, who won both the Clash and the Daytona a year ago, did not complete the final lap and finished 13th.

Defending Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson played a central role in the afternoon’s first two cautions. The first saw occurred when Johnson, running to the outside of Kurt Busch, got loose exiting Turn 4 and snapped left into Busch’s right rear quarter-panel, causing Busch to turn nose-first into the outside wall.

Busch’s car sustained significant frontend damage, ending his Clash after 16 laps. He was evaluated and released from the infield care center, which included being subject to NASCAR’s new concussion protocol program.

The caution came on Lap 50 and saw Johnson again get loose off Turn 4, this time spinning into the inside retaining wall. Martin Truex Jr. brought the third and final yellow flag when he clipped Kyle Larson’s nose, sending Truex crashing into the outside wall on Lap 62. Neither Johnson nor Truex were injured.

A total of four cautions slowed the race, originally scheduled for Saturday night but postponed until Sunday due to rain, for 16 laps.

Source: NASCAR.com

Note: If your track, tour or event is not posted on this blog send your press releases to: lmodestino@hotmail.com