NASCAR confiscates Logano suspension part

NASCAR confirmed to RACER that they took a rear suspension part from the No. 22 Team Penske Ford during Sunday's race at New Hampshire.

Joey Logano drove to the garage on lap 175 of the Overton's 301 after the left rear wheel started to produce heavy smoke. The team initially looked under the rear of the car on pit road before going to the garage for repairs. It was there that NASCAR took the part.

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It is not unusual for NASCAR officials to take parts from time to time for evaluation to the R&D Center.

Logano eventually returned to the race and finished 37th.

"No, there actually was no contact. We just broke. Plain and simple," Logano said of the incident. "It is not good, at all. Right now, we are in the position where we have to execute. We have to finish the best as possible, and we didn't do that today. We have to go back to work and make sure our cars stay together, and we have to get faster. All three of our cars were a little off today."

Calling it a humbling day, Logano said his Todd Gordon-led team knows how to fight back.

"We have to stay together. Stay as a team," Logano said. "Keep pushing. If [making the playoffs] happens, it happens. Hopefully, we can get some speed enough to squeak a win out before the playoffs and get our 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford into the playoffs."

Still 17th on the playoff grid, Logano went from seven points out of a transfer spot to 52 points behind with seven races remaining in the regular season.

"We were in this spot two times last year in the playoffs. Must win. Back against the wall," Logano said. "We won both times. The team has it in them. We just have to get faster to be able to do that. Our team executes well; we just have to have something to race with a little bit."