Logano Walks Away from the 'Big One' at Dover
September 27, 2009- 1. Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Chevrolet
- 2. Mark Martin, No. 5 Chevrolet
- 3. Matt Kenseth, No. 17 Ford
- 42. Joey Logano, No. 20 Home Depot Toyota
DOVER, De. (September 27, 2009) – The AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway will be among the most remembered NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races of the 2009 season for The Home Depot Racing Team – just not for happy reasons. Driver Joey Logano was racing in the 23rd position just 30 laps into the race when he endured the wild ride of his career in a multi-car accident that left little of the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota intact.
Logano started the 400-mile race from the 11th position and the team had high hopes after enjoying successful practice sessions at Dover on Saturday afternoon. The driver of the Home Depot Toyota turned in the third quickest lap of final practice on Saturday and posted 10-lap speed averages that were among the top-10 drivers in practice.
The AAA 400 at Dover started after rain showers covered the surrounding area on Sunday morning. Track drying efforts were able to keep the race on schedule for its 2 p.m. start time. Logano raced through the first 25 laps – maintaining the 11th position despite battling extremely loose-handling conditions on the Home Depot Toyota. Crew Chief Greg Zipadelli called for whole-sale changes on the Home Depot Toyota during the mandatory caution on lap 25, lowering the track bar, placing a rubber in the left-rear tire spring and changing four tires. While the Home Depot Team made numerous changes, a number of teams elected to only take two tires which resulted in lost track position for the team. Logano lined up 23rd for the restart on lap 30.
It wasn't long after the restart that things got dicey for Team Home Depot. Racing down the backstretch, Logano was working his way under driver Bobby Labonte when Labonte started to come down the track which forced Logano to let off the gas. Driver Tony Stewart was right on the bumper of the Home Depot Toyota when Logano was forced to let off the gas. With nowhere to go, Stewart got squarely into the back of Logano and started the chain reaction accident that resulted in the Home Depot Toyota barrel rolling through turn four.
Logano walked away from the car without any injury but definitely a little wary.
"I'm fine," Logano said. "That was the wildest ride I've ever been on. I'm not 100 percent sure what happened. Spotter was clearing me low. I got down there and then they checked up getting into the corner. Looked like I got tagged from behind – I'm not really sure. I haven't seen a replay yet and I'm not sure I want to see a replay. It started rolling and I was in there like, 'make this thing stop.' And it just kept going and going. I was fine. It goes to show how safe these cars are. I think we had a pretty good Home Depot Toyota."
"But overall I'm fine," he added. "I'm not even sore, which is really surprising after all that. I'm just happy it landed on its wheels."
The extensive damage to the Home Depot Toyota was beyond repair, which prevented the team from finishing the race. It was the team's first DNF (Did Not Finish) since losing an engine at Bristol in March. Logano was scored with a 42nd-place finish when the checkered flag finally waved.
The incident in Dover dropped Logano a position in the Sprint Cup Series driver point standings. He now sits in 20th position. He is 33 points behind the 19th-place driver in the point standings, Casey Mears. Logano's Joe Gibbs Racing teammates also encountered various problems at Dover. Denny Hamlin finished 22nd after battling handling issues all day while Kyle Busch finished 31st after brushing the wall just halfway through the race.
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series visits the heartland of America during next weekend's Price Chopper 400 at Kansas Speedway. The race is scheduled for a 1 p.m. CDT start. ABC will provide live television coverage of the event while the Motor Racing Network (MRN) will provide the live radio broadcast.
