Joey Logano

LONG POND, Pa. - Nearly three years after a downpour produced Joey Logano's first career Sprint Cup win, NASCAR's one-time wunderkind got a chance to take the checkered flag "the right way" on Sunday at Pocono Raceway. By utilizing a bump-and-run on leader Mark Martin in the third turn with a little more than four laps remaining in the Pocono 400, Logano regained the lead and pulled away from the field to take the checkered flag by several car-lengths (0.997 seconds). After the two made contact in Turn 3 on Lap 156, Logano's No. 20 Toyota slid inside of Martin's No. 55 Camry at the start/finish line, then went ahead to stay with a gutsy dive through Turn 1. "I knew my car was better than his," Logano said, tears welling in his eyes after he became Pocono's youngest winner at 22 years, 17 days.

Joey Logano has a perpetual smile on his face, and for good reason. On Saturday, the motor-sports wunderkind turned 18 - the minimum age required to compete on any of NASCAR's three premier circuits. While he feasted on a 150-pound cake baked in the shape of his race car, Joe Gibbs, the team owner and Hall of Fame football coach, sang "Happy Birthday. " Tomorrow, Logano will make his Nationwide Series debut at Dover International Speedway under the weight of tremendous expectations, some self-inflicted and others placed on his shoulders by people in the know.

Rafael Nadal rallied past David Ferrer , 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-0, in the quarterfinals of the Madrid Open. Serena Williams struggled before defeating Anabel Medina Garrigues , 6-3, 0-6, 7-5, and second-ranked Maria Sharapova joined her in the semifinals after easing by Kaia Kanepi of Estonia, 6-2, 6-4. NASCAR: Kurt Busch sped around Darlington with a fast lap of 181.918 m.p.h. for his third career pole there. Defending Southern 500 champion Jimmie Johnson will start alongside Busch, followed by Busch's younger brother Kyle.

Lenox Industrial Tools 301 New Hampshire Motor Speedway Loudon, N.H. When: Sunday, 1 p.m. TV/Radio: TNT/WNPV (1440-AM), WDSD (94.7-FM) Course: 1.058-mile oval Distance: 300 laps/318.4 miles 2009 winner: Joey Logano 2009 pole winner: None because of inclement weather. Track qualifying record: Juan Pablo Montoya, 133.431 mph (Sept. 20, 2009) Track facts: Joey Logano's first Cup win was in a rain-shortened race. He led only 11 laps before rain halted the race.

CONCORD, N.C. - Greg Biffle had to pit for gas, so Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the lead. Cars wrecked on the next-to-last lap, and still Earnhardt led. But you have to have enough fuel to finish. Earnhardt didn't and Kevin Harvick did, and Harvick ended a wild night of racing with a victory in Sunday night's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. David Ragan finished second, Joey Logano third, Kurt Busch fourth, and AJ Allmendinger fifth. Harvick becomes the Sprint Cup Series' first three-time winner this season.

FONTANA, Calif. - Kyle Busch earned his first victory of the season at Fontana on Sunday after rivals Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano wrecked on the final lap in a thrilling NASCAR finish. Hamlin and Logano made contact while they raced side-by-side in the final lap of their first race since the drivers confronted each other last week at Bristol. Logano hit the outside wall and Hamlin hit the inside wall, with Hamlin getting attention in an ambulance and eventually being airlifted to a hospital.

BRISTOL, Tenn. - Kasey Kahne's bumper-banging battle with Brad Keselowski was just the first act in an action-packed Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Former teammates Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano exchanged words after the race because Hamlin spun Logano as Logano was racing for the lead. A flat tire knocked Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth out of the race while they were running 1-2. A caution put Kahne and Keselowski side-by-side for a restart with 39 laps to go. Keselowski either spun his tires or the Hamlin-Logano feud disrupted his start, and Kahne sailed away for his first career win at Bristol.

Teen star Joey Logano, 18, raced to his second career NASCAR Nationwide Series victory, holding off Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch and finishing 0.487 seconds ahead of Busch in the Pepsi 300 at Nashville Superspeedway in Gladeville, Tenn. Logano led nine times for a race-high 95 laps. Pro football Buffalo Bills safety Donte Whitner, 23, was shocked with a stun gun and arrested by officers trying to control a rowdy crowd outside a Cleveland nightclub early yesterday, police said.

Jack Roush joked Friday that Pocono Raceway - in the heart of a resort area that once was a traditional destination for newlyweds - would be a fitting place for Tony Stewart's "honeymoon" as a first-year driver/owner to end. Stewart chuckled at the rival owner's jab but admitted: "He's right - it's been a honeymoon to this point [because] we haven't had to go through the lows yet. We will get a dose of reality at some point. Every race team does. " Less than 24 hours later, Roush's prediction sounded eerily prescient.

TALLADEGA, Ala. - The leader on the last lap isn't supposed to win at Talladega Superspeedway. Everybody knows that. Brad Keselowski disagrees, and he showed how to do it Sunday with a calculated plan that sent him to Victory Lane. Keselowski used a big push from Kyle Busch to pass leader Matt Kenseth, and after leaving the Daytona 500 winner in their wake, Keselowski staved off Busch's attempt to snatch the win. Using a move Keselowski said he had dreamed about, he held on for his second win of the season and second at Talladega.

Rafael Nadal rallied past David Ferrer , 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-0, in the quarterfinals of the Madrid Open. Serena Williams struggled before defeating Anabel Medina Garrigues , 6-3, 0-6, 7-5, and second-ranked Maria Sharapova joined her in the semifinals after easing by Kaia Kanepi of Estonia, 6-2, 6-4. NASCAR: Kurt Busch sped around Darlington with a fast lap of 181.918 m.p.h. for his third career pole there. Defending Southern 500 champion Jimmie Johnson will start alongside Busch, followed by Busch's younger brother Kyle.

A RECURRING theme in NASCAR is a resident villain. Drivers in "black hats" have included Darrell Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Kurt and Kyle Busch. Say hello to the 2013 villain, Joey Logano: "Here's our black-hat selection, Mr. Logano. What size do you wear?" The Connecticut native seems like a nice, young guy. But there is a sense among some in NASCAR that Logano, 22, is spoiled. Starting at age 6, his racing was financed by his father, Tom. A couple of years ago, after encountering a problem racing with Kevin Harvick, Logano said it was clear who wears the firesuit in the Harvick family, a clear reference to Harvick's wife, DeLana.

FONTANA, Calif. - Kyle Busch earned his first victory of the season at Fontana on Sunday after rivals Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano wrecked on the final lap in a thrilling NASCAR finish. Hamlin and Logano made contact while they raced side-by-side in the final lap of their first race since the drivers confronted each other last week at Bristol. Logano hit the outside wall and Hamlin hit the inside wall, with Hamlin getting attention in an ambulance and eventually getting airlifted to a hospital due to traffic around the track.

FONTANA, Calif. - Kyle Busch earned his first victory of the season at Fontana on Sunday after rivals Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano wrecked on the final lap in a thrilling NASCAR finish. Hamlin and Logano made contact while they raced side-by-side in the final lap of their first race since the drivers confronted each other last week at Bristol. Logano hit the outside wall and Hamlin hit the inside wall, with Hamlin getting attention in an ambulance and eventually being airlifted to a hospital.

BRISTOL, Tenn. - Kasey Kahne's bumper-banging battle with Brad Keselowski was just the warm-up act in an action-packed race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Former teammates Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano exchanged words after the race - in person and on Twitter - because Hamlin spun Logano as Logano was racing for the lead. A flat tire knocked Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth out of the race while they were running 1-2. Typical Bristol, right? It looked that way as Kahne and Keselowski staged a spectacular battle for the lead, only for a caution to put them side-by-side for a restart with 39 laps to go. Keselowski had an issue, he either spun his tires or the Hamlin-Logano feud disrupted his start, and Kahne sailed away for his first career victory at Bristol.

BRISTOL, Tenn. - Kasey Kahne's bumper-banging battle with Brad Keselowski was just the first act in an action-packed Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. Former teammates Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano exchanged words after the race because Hamlin spun Logano as Logano was racing for the lead. A flat tire knocked Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth out of the race while they were running 1-2. A caution put Kahne and Keselowski side-by-side for a restart with 39 laps to go. Keselowski either spun his tires or the Hamlin-Logano feud disrupted his start, and Kahne sailed away for his first career win at Bristol.

JEFF GORDON'S No. 24 Chevrolet will seem like a car carrying a stash of live grenades Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway. Hardly anyone will want to collide with the well-respected Gordon and spoil his chances of qualifying as a Chaser. Gordon is one of several racers seeking the second Chase wild card. Entering the final event before the Chase, the current wild-card drivers are Kasey Kahne (11th in points, two wins) and Kyle Busch (12th, one win). Gordon (one W) is 13th in the standings, 35 behind 10th place.

LONG POND, Pa. — Six races to go before NASCAR's Chase for the Championship begins and Joey Logano is among several drivers still pursuing one of the 12 Chase berths. Logano is also racing for a new contract. Speculation has Logano possibly leaving Joe Gibbs Racing following the season finale. With A.J. Allmendinger released from Penske Racing after the failing a drug test, the No. 22 Shell-sponsored ride is a possible destination. Looking ahead to Sunday's Pennsylvania 400 at Pocono Raceway, Logano said he is able to put his contract situation out of his mind during races.

LONG POND, Pa. - Nearly three years after a downpour produced Joey Logano's first career Sprint Cup win, NASCAR's one-time wunderkind got a chance to take the checkered flag "the right way" on Sunday at Pocono Raceway. By utilizing a bump-and-run on leader Mark Martin in the third turn with a little more than four laps remaining in the Pocono 400, Logano regained the lead and pulled away from the field to take the checkered flag by several car-lengths (0.997 seconds). After the two made contact in Turn 3 on Lap 156, Logano's No. 20 Toyota slid inside of Martin's No. 55 Camry at the start/finish line, then went ahead to stay with a gutsy dive through Turn 1. "I knew my car was better than his," Logano said, tears welling in his eyes after he became Pocono's youngest winner at 22 years, 17 days.

LONG POND, Pa. - Nearly three years after a downpour produced Joey Logano's first career Sprint Cup win, NASCAR's one-time wunderkind got a chance to take the checkered flag "the right way" on Sunday at Pocono Raceway. By utilizing a bump-and-run on leader Mark Martin in the third turn with a little more than four laps remaining in the Pocono 400, Logano regained the lead and pulled away from the field to take the checkered flag by several car-lengths (0.997 seconds). After the two made contact in Turn 3 on Lap 156, Logano's No. 20 Toyota slid inside of Martin's No. 55 Camry at the start/finish line, then went ahead to stay with a gutsy dive through Turn 1. "I knew my car was better than his," Logano said, tears welling in his eyes after he became Pocono's youngest winner at 22 years, 17 days.