s that served him well on the final day at Augusta

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Karma has a funny way of coming back around. Just ask Joey Logano.A little more than 12 months ago, Logano was eliminated from the 2015 NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup when Matt Kenseth intentionally wrecked him at Martinsville Speedway, an attack made in retribution for a prior incident between the two a few weeks earlier at Kansas Speedway.On Sunday, Kenseth was the driver who got wrecked -- pretty much by his own teammate -- opening the door for Logano to win the Can-Am 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. More importantly, the timely victory landed Logano among the four drivers who will compete for the 2016 Sprint Cup next weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.Logano and the No. 22 Team Penske Ford were often the dominant combination of the 2015 season, and he was bitterly disappointed that after Kenseth wrecked him at Martinsville, he didnt get the opportunity to compete for the crown.But thanks to the incredible events that went down late in Sundays race at Phoenix, hell get that chance next week for the second time in the three years that NASCARs Chase has been run using the current 16-driver elimination format.At Phoenix, Kenseth looked to be cruising to an uncontested victory while Logano was desperately trying to hold off Kevin Harvick for the fourth-place finish he needed to qualify for the Homestead finale on points.As Kenseth sped around to take the white flag, the yellow flew instead as Michael McDowell crashed in Turn 3. Suddenly, Kenseth had to contend with a restart.It didnt go well. Kenseth got a good jump into Turn 1, but when Alex Bowman turned down to block a charging Kyle Busch, Buschs car bumped Bowmans car. The contact unsettled Bowmans Chevrolet enough to send it sliding into Kenseths Toyota, which spun into the Turn 1 wall while Logano and Busch sped past.An additional restart held no drama for Logano, who easily held off Busch in a green-white-checkered finish.It was Loganos 17th career Cup Series race win, and his seventh in the Chase since the elimination format was introduced in 2014. That tops all drivers, and hes still just 26 years old.Man, this feels so good! Logano exclaimed in his Victory Lane television interview. Ive never felt this good about a win before. I feel like I won the Daytona 500 again. Theres so much on the line, and everybody brings their A-game when it comes to winning championships.Were racing for a championship now, he added. We did exactly what we had to do. Were going to go to Homestead and do the same thing.Team owner Roger Penske has the unique opportunity to win both the IndyCar Series championship and NASCARs top championship in the year that Team Penske is celebrating its 50th anniversary in competition.Simon Pagenaud won Penskes 14th Indy car title earlier this year, but Penske has achieved less success in stock car racing. Brad Keselowski earned Team Penskes only Cup Series title to date in 2012.Now Logano will represent the legendary team in a championship finale one more time.I guess we can say were going to Homestead, Penske remarked. Today the team really was disciplined, they executed the pit stops and Joeys restarts were classic Logano -- nobody was able to be as cool as he was to take the position.The outcome wasnt the outcome until the overtime, Penske added. I think this proves just how good he is to continually get the job done for us.Logano is convinced that he and his team led by crew chief Todd Gordon have what it takes to prevail in the final four shootout next week at Homestead. His competition includes Busch, fellow Joe Gibbs Racing driver Carl Edwards?and six-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson.In his other championship final experience in 2014, Logano finished 16th at Homestead, last among the four Chase contenders. He vows that will not happen again.We have experience now, Logano stated. Weve been together four years or so, and weve gone through some hard situations together as a team and not much has changed. They do a good job of keeping their head straight and a lot of that comes from Todd.Were peaking at the right time, which is a good sign, Logano continued. Weve had some speed the last three races. Texas was one of our best races of the year and to go to a racetrack thats very similar to that makes me excited. We know what it takes to win a championship because weve been through that situation once before. Ive been saying throughout this Chase that I hope were in that situation because we know how to handle it. Today we were in that situation and we won the race, and I cant wait to put my team in that situation again.Its hard to think of a 26-year-old as a grizzled veteran, but Logano has already been racing at the Cup level for eight full years.The kid once known as Sliced Bread seems to realize that a driver often needs to lose a championship to learn how to win one.Hell get that chance in one weeks time.Weve got momentum, he acknowledged. I remember the last time we got through to Homestead, I wasnt this excited. I was immediately nervous.This is not that feeling, he added. I have confidence this time. I know we can do it. I dont feel its a long shot like the last time, when it was the first time I was racing for a championship.This time I feel like weve been there before. 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CHASKA, Minn. -- We interrupt the all-important preparations for the 41st Ryder Cup to bring you this important public-service message:Danny Willett is sorry.Hes sorry about the article his brother penned for the National Club Golfer calling American fans pudgy, basement-dwelling irritants, stuffed on cookie dough and pissy beer, pausing between mouthfuls of hotdog so they can scream `Baba Booey until their jelly faces turn red.Among other things.Hes sorry if its ruptured the spirit of stuffy collegiality thats supposed to prevail at these biennial matches -- at least until the opening tee shot is struck -- between two world powers united in their desire chase a little white ball across expansive green meadows while keeping score.And while were at it, the Englishman is sorry, too, about the errant drive on the second hole of his morning practice round that conked a spectator in the head.Knocked it backwards, actually, Willett said about the fan, stifling a grin.By the time he settled behind a microphone at a news conference later Thursday afternoon, Willett had already apologized to his parents, who are here at Hazeltine; his own captain, Darren Clarke; his 11 European teammates; U.S. captain Davis Love III; and all 12 U.S. players.About the only person he hasnt yet apologized to is brother, Pete, who earned kudos for his funny, occasionally off-color running commentary on Twitter during the final round of Danny Willetts Masters victory in April. Instead, his parents spoke to his brother last night and obviously had a good chat with him. ... Petes apologized to me, Willett said.Family is family, he sighed a moment later. What he said was wrong and incredibly ill-timed, but hes still my brother.Whether this bit of contrived controversy lingers much longer rests with the fans. Past Ryder Cups have inspired clever insults and bawdy songs from galleries on both sides of the Atlantic.The only hint of that so far came when a handful of fans wearing yellow suits and draped in European flags stood alongside the practice green and began singing, Dont yyou know me, baby -- to the tune of the Human Leagues Dont You Want Me, Baby -- followed by Danny Willett.ddddddddddddAmerican fans standing nearby responded with chants of USA! USA! But the exchange was both short and good-natured. A quick, unscientific survey of fans suggested little chance things would go much further.Are we offended? No, said golf fan Tom Watson, who drove up from Omaha, Nebraska, with two friends for the practice round.I saw him in front of the cameras apologizing and I kind of felt sorry for Willett, echoed his pal, Andy King. His brother sounds more like a college football fan than a golf fan to me.Alan Findlay, who was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and is the general manager of La Playa Golf Club in Naples, Florida, called Pete Willetts remarks ridiculous.It was a case of `open mouth, insert foot, he chuckled. I hope people understand it was supposed to be tongue-in-cheek.A moment later, Findlay noted the passing of golf great Arnold Palmer on Sunday and said, I hope both sides remember the things Arnie stood for and keep it spirited but classy.That was Willetts intention, and his teammates said the same steely nerves that served him well on the final day at Augusta National will be in evidence through the three days of matches here.Dan is so mentally strong. Thats been an asset of his ever since Ive known him, said Chris Wood, who like Willett is one of six rookies on the European side. Dan will cope just fine.Willett made it a point to thank the galleries for treating him so well during the practice round. He wouldnt mind -- in fact, he expects those same fans -- to bring a little tougher stuff to the actual matches.I dont think anyone ever came to America, any of the European lads, and thought it was going to be a walk in the park, Willett said. Thats the nature of the beast. Same when their guys come to Europe.You dont mind the odd bit of heckling, he added, but hoping it doesnt go too far. ' ' '