4 vehicles have been taken out of the race by the chain-reaction crash, which occurred simply earlier than half distance in the course of the ultimate race on the Californian monitor in its two-mile format. In complete, 10 vehicles have been concerned within the wreck – making it the most important multi-car crash within the monitor’s Cup historical past.
Team Penske’s Logano mentioned the bigger restart zone – which has been expanded by 50% for the primary 5 races of 2023 as an experiment – means there may be extra potential for vehicles to aim to get a run and, because the main automobile, he can select when to speed up.
However his choice to go comparatively deep into the zone meant some vehicles within the pack had gone too early, and it was these in the midst of the sphere who have been in charge.
“Go again and take a look at the info – I didn’t do something,” mentioned Logano. “I simply rolled it and went like everybody was anticipating it.
“It’s a part of the brand new restart zone – it’s larger. So, you possibly can’t anticipate as a lot as you used to with out entering into bother. I went late within the zone as a result of the automobile to the within of me was laying again, so I used to be ready for him to rise up subsequent to me earlier than I went.
“I didn’t brake test anybody. It would seem like it, however you possibly can return and take a look at it and see it’s not there.”
Fellow Ford driver Aric Almirola, who was instructed by his spotter within the speedy aftermath that Logano was in charge for inflicting the stack-up, mentioned: “I feel the chief was simply taking part in video games, attempting to forestall the runs coming from behind, and so they stopped in the midst of the restart zone was proper about the place they need to have been accelerating.
“It was simply an enormous accordion impact. We have been again in 16th, so everyone simply began stacking up and you may’t cease on a dime. It’s disappointing to get wrecked out of the race like that on a foolish Mickey Mouse restart, however I ought to have recognized higher.”
Christopher Bell, who’d began the race from pole after qualifying was rained out, was one other a kind of taken out by colliding with the automobile in entrance, after which being slammed from behind.
“You possibly can’t see what’s occurring,” he mentioned. “You’re simply going off the man in entrance of you and suddenly he slows down and I bought into him, and different guys bought into me.”
Ryan Preece, who was additionally pressured out within the shunt, added: “It’s form of silly, to be trustworthy with you, on knowledgeable stage and all of us wreck on a restart.”
