Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Race Report
June 27, 2010- 1. Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Chevrolet
- 2. Tony Stewart, No. 14 Chevrolet
- 3. Kurt Busch, No. 2 Dodge
- 9. Joey Logano, No. 20 The Home Depot Toyota
Top-10 Finish at Loudon for Logano and The Home Depot Team, Leads the Charge for Toyota
Loudon, N.H. (June 27, 2010) –The Home Depot Team earned its seventh top 10 of the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday. The team started 11th, avoided several late-race incidents to finish ninth in the 301-lap event. The top-10 finish moved driver Joey Logano and the team to 16th in the standings, just 99 points out of 12th, the cut off to the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Logano was not only the top finisher for Joe Gibbs Racing, but lead the charge for Toyota as well.
"This place has been tough for me, so a top-10 finish here is really good," said Logano. "There are places where a top 10 would be frustrating, not here though. We struggled in practice, put in a decent qualifying run and were able to maintain our track position. It was a good point's day for The Home Depot Team too. If we want a shot at making the Chase, these are the types of runs we need to put together on the tracks we typically struggle at. I'm really proud of everyone today."
Logano started the race from the 11th position at a place where track position is critical. He was able to maintain 11th through the first caution flag on lap 35 for debris. The team elected to take right-side tires on its pit stop and came out of the pits in fourth for the restart on lap 39. Logano raced three wide for several laps and finally settled back into the 11th position on lap 50, complaining the car was tight in the center. He was 16th when a round of green-flag pit stops began on lap 104. He brought the No. 20 Home Depot machine down pit road on lap 106 for four tires, a chassis adjustment and fuel.
Logano was sitting in the 15th position on lap 160 and told Zipadelli the car was turning much better in the center now. When it came time for a second round of green-flag stops, Logano asked for similar changes to the car. The team once again made a chassis adjustment and an air pressure adjustment to free the car up in the center. With 100 laps remaining, The Home Depot Toyota was running in the 15th spot with just 21 cars remaining on the lead lap.
The caution flag finally waved on lap 238 when the No. 9 car broke its motor. The team pitted again for tires, fuel and an adjustment. Racing resumed on lap 245 with Logano in 12th. The racing up front got dicey, and Logano was able to keep The Home Depot Toyota out of trouble. The caution waved on lap 281 when the No. 42 got spun into the outside wall. With just 14 cars on lead lap, Zipadelli called for four tires for the final race to the checkered flag. The green flag waved on lap 287 and the racing was three wide, but it lasted just two laps as Logano's teammate Kyle Busch spun and brought out the caution with Logano in 10th. The final restart of the race came with eight laps to go and the No. 20 car in eighth. Logano dropped back to 10th but was able to get one spot back before the checkered flag waved.
Logano's teammates Busch and Denny Hamlin finished 11th and 14th respectively. Logano gained one spot in the standings to 16th and aside from being 99 points out of 12th, is just 83 out of 15th. Logano and The Home Depot Team head to Daytona International Speedway next weekend for the Fourth of July race weekend. The race airs on TNT television and MRN radio with live racing coverage beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET.
