NASCAR: Logano collects checkered flag in trucks race

Published 8:55 pm Saturday, March 28, 2015

The Associated Press

MARTINSVILLE, Va. (AP) — Joey Logano passed Matt Crafton entering the first turn at the start of a two-lap sprint to the finish and won an exciting NASCAR Truck race at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday.

The Daytona 500 champion won for the first time in the series to become the 26th driver to win in all three of NASCAR’s top series.

Crafton, who led 100 laps while Logano led 150, figured he might be in trouble with the two-lap finish.

“I was honestly a little bit worried because it would take my truck four or five laps to get going, but all in all, not a bad day,” Crafton, the two-time defending series champion, said.

The finish came after a wild near-ending in which 17-year-old Cole Custer slammed into the back of Crafton’s truck in the first turn with five laps to go, sending both Crafton and Logano wide while Custer darted underneath for the lead.

Custer, driving for Dale Earnhardt Jr., was somewhat apologetic afterward, calling the hard hit an “accident.”

But it proved to be Custer’s last stand. On the ensuing lap, Crafton sent him spinning, and Custer wound up 16th.

Crafton hung on for second, followed by Erik Jones, Johnny Sauter and Tyler Reddick.