(WOMR file photo)
At the beginning of the Saturday, Paul Menard was the fastest in two of the three qualifying sessions at Michigan International Speedway, leading up to the start of the Ollie’s Barn Outlet 250. And even though Menard only led 18 laps during the race, it was through the bad luck of Joey Logano, who had a flat tire with four laps remaining, that handed the win to Menard. The win ,today, was only Menard’s second victory in the Nationwide Series. His previous victory came at his hometown track of Milwaukee way back in 2006!
Logano was in front after the front-runners pitted with 44 laps to go, and pulled away after the restart. He led Menard’s Chevy by more than a second very late in the race, but pulled onto pit road on Lap 121 to replace a right-rear tire. Menard had smooth sailing from there and led Sam Hornish Jr.,Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch, and Brian Scott to the checkered flag.
Menard thought he missed his shot on the final restart, when he was the third car into Turn 1, and thereby, lost several positions trying to take the lead.
“The last restart, I kind of thought I gave the race away getting three-wide,” he said. “This is a brand-new car, a brand-new motor we’re trying out and it proved itself, I think.”
Logano, seeking his 22nd Nationwide Series win and first of the season, was the final car on the lead lap and ended the day a hard-luck 16th.
“I ran over something at some point. It pretty much sucks,” he said after leading 43 laps. “I could tell it was going down on the back straightaway and had to take it in.
“I hate giving it away like that. The silver lining is we had a fast race car and should’ve won the race. You win some like that, you lose some like that.”
Earnhardt also said he was losing a tire near the finish but kept the car on the track.
On another note, Dylan Kwasniewski continues to make young rookie mistakes! This week he, once again, tried to stick the nose of his car where veteran race car drivers fear to tread! The Rock Star sponsored Kwasniewske, not only tore up his race car, but he took Trevor Bayne’s RFR #6 Advocare Ford with him to the wall! The net results was two wads of rumpled sheet metal!
Check out the unofficial results of the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet 250.
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
