Logano wins, Kenseth spins at Kansas

Joey Logano won his second straight Sprint Cup race at Kansas Speedway on Sunday in the Hollywood Casino 400, allowing him to remain the only Chase driver who has won during the 12-driver Contender Round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup. The win was controversial, as Logano, driving his #22 Team Penske Ford closely behind the #20 Joe Gibbs Toyota of Matt Kenseth, caused Kenseth, whose car was slightly above Logano's on the track, to spin out as Kenseth was leading. Kenseth, the leader of 153 of 267 scheduled laps, was trying to win to get back above the round 3 cutline. He was upset with Logano after the race, but Logano, who won last week at Charlotte in another race where Kenseth led and then had problems, was under the impression that Kenseth self-spun. Kenseth's teammate Denny Hamlin (#11) and eliminated Chaser Jimmie Johnson (#48) finished second and third.

Early in the race, the #4 Stewart-Haas Chevrolet of Kevin Harvick was reported to have some sort of vibration. Within a few laps, the issue suddenly disappeared and Harvick passed Logano's teammate Brad Keselowski (#2) for the lead before Jeb Burton's #26 Toyota hit the wall to bring out the first caution. Austin Dillon (#3) made it into the top-five just past halfway before blowing his right front tire. Clint Bowyer's #15 Michael Waltrip Toyota and Justin Allgaier's #51 HScott Chevrolet also hit the wall during the race. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (#88) stayed 11th on the Chase grid after having to pit to fix yet another loose wheel, after which he got lapped twice. This leaves Jeff Gordon (#24) as the only Hendrick Motorsports driver not up for elimination heading into next weekend, as Kasey Kahne (#5) missed the Chase entirely this year.

Next week is the second Chase elimination race in Talladega, Alabama, where four more Chasers' championship hopes will end, cutting the field from 12 drivers to 8. A restrictor plate track, Talladega has a tendency to host unpredictable races. The grid could change dramatically by the end of that race, leaving some drivers previously up for elimination safe from it.

Race Results:

1. (14) 22-Joey Logano - Ford - 269 laps, led 42 laps
2. (5) 11-Denny Hamlin - Toyota - 269 laps
3. (21) 48-Jimmie Johnson - Chevrolet - 269 laps, led 5 laps
4. (24) 5-Kasey Kahne - Chevrolet - 269 laps
5. (3) 18-Kyle Busch - Toyota - 269 laps
6. (9) 41-Kurt Busch - Chevrolet - 269 laps
7. (8) 21-Ryan Blaney - Ford - 269 laps, led 5 laps
8. (2) 19-Carl Edwards - Toyota - 269 laps, led 6 laps
9. (1) 2-Brad Keselowski - Ford - 269 laps, led 28 laps
10. (6) 24-Jeff Gordon - Chevrolet - 269 laps