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Logano on Dan Patrick Show: Spinning Kenseth Sunday wasn’t ‘a tactic’

Joey Logano reiterated Monday on the Dan Patrick Show on NBCSN that he did not intentionally go out and try to wreck Matt Kenseth in the closing laps of Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a tactic,” Logano told Patrick. ”Our tactic was to go out and win the race. That’s what we try to do. We don’t go out there and try to wreck someone by no means. We try to race hard. He was racing hard as well and that’s just what happens sometimes.

“I think all of us are racers. We want to race hard for wins. He was doing what he had to do and I was doing what I had to do. It’s unfortunate we collided there and got tangled up. It’s unfortunate, but it’s hard racing. We were both racing for a win, it’s Chase time right now and everyone has picked up that intensity level.”

While Logano didn’t back down from what he did in Sunday’s race, he did feel empathy for Kenseth in a way.

“Everyone will have their own point of view and not everyone is going to choose their side,” Logano said. “It’s part of what our sport is built on. Everyone has their take.

“If I was in Matt’s position, would I be feeling the way he does today? Maybe. And if he was in my position, would he do the same thing? Maybe. It’s hard to really put yourself into someone else’s shoes.”

But Logano did say yesterday’s incident was good theater, so to speak.

“I think it makes people watch it,” he said. “We’ve put on some exciting races. I think it’s good for the sport and it’s what our sport needs.

“This isn’t out of the norm. We’ve seen this a lot at the Sprint Cup level. We’re competitive people and we all want to win.”

Patrick asked Logano if the Chase format has in effect caused NASCAR to embrace old-time racing, where it was the norm for drivers to punt their rivals out of the way.

“Embrace or not embrace it, we’re racing hard,” Logano said. “The way NASCAR has applied the new Chase format, with the elimination process, it’s really put people in do-or-die situations.

“When that happens, crazy things seem to happen on the racetrack. NASCAR has put us in a position where we have to race hard. It puts on a great product on the racetrack and it’s a lot of fun for fans to watch.”

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