Logano wins rain-delayed Clash

Joey Logano has steered clear of all the dramas to win the non-championship Clash at Daytona after the race was postponed due to rain.

Originally planned for Saturday night, the race was run as a lunchtime event with 17 cars, made up of race winners from 2016 and previous Clash winners taking part.

Logano captured his first win in the Clash to become the 22nd different winner in the annual non-points race.

The race might have been for bragging rights only, with all cars taking part only for that event. Drivers then switched to their Daytona 500 rides for qualifying later in the afternoon.

Logano took advantage of last lap contact between Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski to shoot off into the lead and was not challenged through to the chequered flag.

“It’s a momentum builder,” said Logano.

“It knocks the rust off for everybody. The only way I was going to beat those Gibbs cars was to break them up. We were able to get our ways up front to make the big move there. Brad was going to make the move and I was going to follow him.

“When the 11 (Hamlin) came down I saw the writing on the wall and decided to move up. It’s a great way to start Speedweeks.”

Hamlin had the lead as the field took the white flag and raced through the first turn. Keselowski tried to make a pass to his inside but the two touched and went up the track.

Kyle Busch edged Alex Bowman for second with Danica Patrick and Kevin Harvick rounding out the top five.

Keselowski, Chase Elliott, Daniel Suarez, Chris Buescher and Jamie McMurray completed the first 10 finishers.

It wasn’t a great day for three drivers starting with Kurt Busch, who crashed early when contact from Jimmie Johnson turned him into the wall and out of the race.

Johnson suffered a similar fate laps later when he lost control out of Turn 4 on lap 48 and slid into the inside wall. His car was severely damaged and Johnson was knocked out of the Clash for a sixth straight season.

Martin Truex Jr. also ended up with a crashed car.

Qualifying for the Daytona 500 features 42 cars with the front row set by today’s qualifying. The rest of the 40-car field will be set by the twin 150-mile Duel races later in the week.

RACE RESULTS: The Clash

VIDEO: Race Recap