Joey Logano: 'I did a good job of screwing up anytime I could'

   Sprint Cup Series driver Joey Logano had one of the few cars that could keep up with race winner Kevin Harvick early-on during Sunday's Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway but by the end of the race he and his No. 22 Team Penske team had fallen out of contention, in part due to a pair of pit road speeding penalties.

   Logano finished 10th and led 47 laps - the second-most of any driver. But he was none-too-easy on himself for Sunday's result.

   "That was a poorly executed race on my behalf. I didn’t do a good job. I did a good job of screwing up anytime I could," Logano said after the race. "The speeding on pit road – I found that. I put us in a hole. Not that we were going to win the race either way because we weren’t fast enough but I maybe cost us two or three positions with what I did. 

   "I don’t know. We have some work to do. I have work to do with myself first and then we have work to do with the car, too.”

What Erik Jones and Ryan Blaney said about their on-track incident Saturday

  On a restart on Lap 172 of 200 in Saturday's Boyd Gaming 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Ryan Blaney and Erik Jones were racing in the top-five for position when Blaney appeared to get loose and got into Jones' No. 18 Toyota. 

   Jones then got loose and looked like he would save the car before it took an abrupt right and into the wall, which was not protected by SAFER barriers. 

   Here is what Jones told Fox Sports 1 after emerging from the infield care center:

   “The 22 (Blaney) just lost it. Obviously not a lot of car control on his end today. Really unfortunate to be taken out that late. Had a strong car, one that I thought could have contended with the 33 (Austin Dillon) for the win," Jones said. "Wish we could have brought them home a better finish. It doesn't take away from our day. We ran up front. Led laps. Had a fast car. The finishes will come. It's a shame that it had to end the way it did.”

   After the race, Blaney - who finished second to Dillon - immediately apologized to his crew and expressed regret for the incident.

  “Yeah, I mean it is a racing incident but you never want to see a wrecked race car and you be a part of it. I know it is a racing deal and you just hate to be in that position," he said. "That is the worst spot to be in, pinned down on the bottom and have someone right on your door. It happens but I don’t like getting into things with people and I hate to see a race car torn up. I hate to see it. I hope he knows I feel bad about it. We have to move on eventually. We will try to do that before tomorrow.” 

Brad Keselowski's crew chief on why the No. 2 team got pulled from the qualifying grid

   Right before the start of Round 1 of Friday's Sprint Cup Series group qualifying at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, NASCAR officials removed Brad Keselowski’s No. 2 Ford from the starting grid and sent it back through inspection.

   An inspector noticed a team member pulling out the fender around the right-rear tire on Keselowski's car. NASCAR announced in the offseason teams would not be allowed to alter side skirts or fenders once cars cleared inspection and reported to the grid.

   "They just wanted to see it pushed in a little bit. I'm not sure (if it was changed)," said Keselowski's crew chief, Paul Wolfe. "The officials were out on the grid after the guys got through inspection to make sure guys don't have their skirts out too far. 

   "They didn't like how wide ours was and we had to come back (through inspection) and push it in and then get on our way."

   Asked if he was expecting any penalties, Wolfe said, "No, I'm not expecting any."

   Keselowski was able to re-pass inspection and still had time to participate in qualifying. He will start 11th Sunday.

Gordon to meet next week with NASCAR over track safety

   Four-time Sprint Cup series champion Jeff Gordon said he has a planned meeting with NASCAR officials next week in Charlotte to discuss the sport’s safety measures, including the progress on expanding the use of energy-absorbing SAFER barriers at tracks.

   “I just reached out to them to discuss some things, that being one of them,” Gordon said. “They have been sharing a lot of information with drivers, a lot more than in the past.”

   Gordon's meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at the research and development center in Concord, N.C.

   Gordon, an outspoken advocate for the use of SAFER barriers at all tracks, was involved in a wreck in last Sunday’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway and slammed into a wall not covered by protective barriers.

  

   Cup driver Kyle Busch remains sidelined this season after suffering a broken leg and foot in the season-opening Xfinity Series race at Daytona after hitting an unprotected interior track wall.

   After that race, NASCAR officials vowed to review each track to determine whether additional safety measures can be undertaken. Atlanta brought in additional tire barriers last weekend and Phoenix plans to do the same next weekend.

Statements from Patricia Driscoll and her attorneys on no charges filed

Statement from Patricia Driscoll

    While I respect the process, I am disappointed that full justice was not served here. My family and I take a measure of solace in the Order of Protection From Abuse granted by commissioner Jones, who ruled my account of the facts was the most credible. At great risk to my personal and professional reputation, I have spoken candidly, at length, and on the record, to a variety of outlets in an effort to correct the distortions and sensationalism that have unfortunately marked the coverage of this painful time in my family’s life. I would urge anyone covering this case to stick to the well-established facts. Giving further air to baseless and discredited accusations about me does a disservice to the public and reduces a serious matter for law enforcement into tabloid gossip. In all future developments in this case, I will continue to stand up for my integrity and for justice. But for now, I am focused on my family, my friends, and my important and gratifying work with the Armed Forces Foundation.

Statement from Mark Dycio, attorney for Driscoll

   The decision from the Delaware Attorney General does not deny that the assault occurred, and indicates only that the state’s attorneys lack confidence in their ability to get a criminal conviction. It changes nothing about the established facts of the case. Mr. Busch testified in open court that he squeezed Patricia’s face, and admitted to police that he slammed her head against the wall in the process. Given that these admissions establish an assault took place, and that police recommended Mr. Busch be prosecuted, it seems impossible that the attorney general’s office made this decision on burden of proof grounds. It would be unfortunate, and a terrible precedent for victims of abuse, if the prospect of inviting a media circus fueled by Mr. Busch’s wealth, notoriety, and hostile PR team in any way swayed this decision. We are comforted at least in the knowledge that the judge who did hear the evidence found clear reason to believe Busch committed the assault, and granted the protective order to Patricia and her family. 

   Statement from Carolyn McNiece, attorney for Driscoll

   Patricia and I are very disappointed that Kurt will not be prosecuted for the abusive acts he committed in September. The AG's decision, however, only makes the Order that we received for Protection from Abuse that much more important. As you can see, in some cases, this is the only protection the victim will get. This civil no contact order is a critical tool for protecting victims.

Statement from NASCAR driver Kurt Busch on no criminal charges filed

   Statement from NASCAR driver Kurt Busch

   I am grateful that the prosecutors in Delaware listened, carefully considered the evidence, and after a thorough investigation decided to not file criminal charges against me.  I wish to thank my family, friends, fans, and race team who stood by me throughout this nightmare with their unwavering support.  Thanks also goes to my legal team for making sure that the truth got out and was fully provided to the prosecutors.  As I have said from the beginning, I did not commit domestic abuse.  I look forward to being back in racing as soon as possible and moving on with my life.

   Kurt Busch

Delaware Attorney General: No criminal charges for NASCAR driver Kurt Busch

   Statement from Delaware Department of Justice

   The Delaware Department of Justice has carefully reviewed the complaint made of an alleged act of domestic violence involving Kurt Busch in Dover on September 26, 2014, which was reported to the Dover Police Department on November 5, 2014 and investigated. After a thorough consideration of all of the available information about the case, it is determined that the admissible evidence and available witnesses would likely be insufficient to meet the burden of establishing beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Busch committed a crime during the September 26thincident. Likelihood of meeting that high burden of proof is the standard for prosecutors in bringing a case. For this reason, the Department of Justice will not pursue criminal charges in this case.

   Carl Kanefsky

   Public Information Officer

   Delaware Department of Justice