Logano takes his first NASCAR Cup Series win of the year

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) — Joey Logano won the rain-delayed race at Nashville Superspeedway in Sunday night’s fifth overtime, a new NASCAR Cup Series record, and saved enough gas to hold off a group of pursuers at the finish line.

Logano fended off a charge from Tyler Reddick and then beat Zane Smith, Reddick, Ryan Preece and Chris Buescher in the race that began nearly six hours earlier and lasted 31 laps longer than the scheduled 300.

The fuel light in Logano’s Ford came on in Turn 3, and Logano — who drove the final 110 laps of the 1.33-mile concrete oval without stopping — said he stumbled across the finish line. Logano won for the first time this year, bringing his career total to 33.

A thunderstorm that forced NASCAR to stop the race after 137 laps washed away the traction that had been built up, causing several cars to come loose and hit the wall or slide into the grass.

A rainbow appeared less than half an hour after the race was stopped. NASCAR sent the drivers back to their cars about 70 minutes after the red flag. The stoppage lasted 81 minutes, with 143 laps still to go.

What’s next? The Chicago street race is scheduled for July 7.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.