Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500 Report, Pocono Raceway
June 6, 2010- 1. Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
- 2. Kyle Busch, No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
- 3. Tony Stewart, No. 14 Chevrolet
- 13. Joey Logano, No. 20 Home Depot Toyota
Top-Five Run Derailed by Late-Race Incident
Long Pond, Pa. (June 6, 2010) – Joey Logano and The Home Depot Team were running in the fifth position with two laps to go in the Gillette ProGlide 500 at Pocono Raceway when Logano was spun by the No. 29 car. Logano was able to rally in the closing laps after restarting from the 30th position, missing a huge multi-car incident, to finish in the 13th position. The top-15 finish moved Logano up to 17th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings, 101 points out of 12th the cutoff to the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
"It's disappointing to be honest with you, we had a top-five run going with the Home Depot Toyota," said Logano. "I was pretty pumped up about it. I was racing the 29 (Kevin Harvick) and he let me go in the middle of the straightaway and then decided to dump me in the next turn. Coach and JD told me to calm down, and realize we finished 13th. We rallied back from 30th in two laps so at least we got something out of it."
Logano started from the 12th position after making his first qualifying laps around the speedway on Friday (qualifying was rained out for both races in 2009). The race was delayed two hours for rain, but the green flag dropped around 3:05 p.m. ET. Logano moved up to 11th when NASCAR waved a competition caution to check the track on lap 15. Early in the race the Home Depot Toyota would start off really tight on new tires, but the car would loosen up on the longer run. A round of green-flag stops began on lap 47 and Logano brought the No. 20 Toyota down pit road on lap 48 for four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment to help Logano off the corners of the tough tri-oval. At lap 50, Logano was running in the 12th position.
Logano told crew chief Greg Zipadelli that the balance on the car was really good, but when the sun was out the car was really loose. The Home Depot Toyota continued to run in the 12th position as a second round of green-flag stops began on lap 75. Logano pulled down pit road on lap 78 for tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment. The caution flag waved for debris just before the midpoint of the 200-lap race. Racing resumed on lap 100 with Logano in the 11th position. He was up to the ninth position by lap 105 and pitted under green on lap 131.
Logano broke into the top five on lap 166 and Zipadelli called Logano down pit road for fuel only, as they were now within their fuel window. However, 13 cars remained on the track and Logano restarted from the 16th position on lap 171. The yellow was displayed again just three laps later with The Home Depot Toyota in the 11th spot. Racing resumed on lap 178, and after several three and four-wide battles Logano was seventh on lap 181 and in the sixth post on lap 182. He grabbed the fifth spot from the No. 42 car on lap 187 and was battling for the fourth spot with five to go with the No. 29 car closing in on the rear bumper. On lap 198, the No. 29 car spun Logano before the leader took the white flag. Logano was able to get his car to the pits for four fresh tires, but restarted on lap 202 from the 30th position for a green-white-checker finish. When Logano took the white flag he was already up to the 17th position. A multi-car incident broke out on the closing lap and Logano was able to maneuver through the debris field to finish 13th.
Logano's teammates Denny Hamlin won the Gillette ProGlide 500, while Kyle Busch finished second. The team heads to Michigan International Speedway next weekend. Live coverage begins on TNT television at 1 p.m. ET and can be heard on PRN radio on Sunday, June 13.
