Joey Logano Survives Truck Series Debut at Talladega Superspeedway 10/06/08

TALLADEGA, Ala. (October 6, 2008) - Whenever the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races at Talladega Superspeedway, the unexpected can and probably will happen. The unexpected definitely took place for Joey Logano in his Truck Series debut during Saturday’s Mountain Dew 250 Fueled by Winn-Dixie. Logano, piloting the No. 59 Team ASE/Raybestos/HT Motorsports Toyota Tundra, qualified in the sixth position to start the 94-lap event from the third row. The 18-year-old rookie consistently ran with the Truck Series veterans until lap 19 when the unexpected happened. The side window of the No. 59 Tundra flew out and tore the B-post off, which cost Logano valuable laps as the truck had to come behind the wall for repairs. Returning to the track four laps down, Logano worked with the truck and turned lap times just as fast as the leaders. Logano was never able to regain the ground lost behind the wall and ended up getting heavy damage in a wreck on the final lap coming to the checkered flag, thus ending his day five laps down, in the 26th position.

“Well, my No. 59 Team ASE/Raybestos Tundra was pretty good,” said Logano. “We had our side window come out early and it took the whole B-post with it. We had to come behind the wall to fix it and after that happened, we were five laps down and ran alright. We really had nothing to gain, so we just kept coming in to get the truck as good as possible. Then on the last lap, it was just a situation of wrong place, wrong time. The truck got a lot of damage and unfortunately ended pretty much as junk.”

Even though he had to overcome some wild obstacles during the NCTS race, the seat-time that Logano gained was invaluable in preparation for the 2009 Sprint Cup Series, as he will be running full-time in the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing.  In addition to the laps that the Middletown, Conn. native ran on Saturday, Logano also competed in the ARCA RE/MAX Series race on Friday evening, where he finished second as he was passed on the final lap in dramatic superspeedway fashion.

“This weekend has been a good learning experience for me, between the Truck and ARCA races,” Logano said. “Hopefully I will be able to take this seat-time and carry it over to the Sprint Cup Series. I would like to thank all of the folks at HT Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing for the opportunity to drive this Toyota in the Truck Series.” This if the first time Joey Logano has driven in the Truck Series. To commenorate this even a diecast replica of this car is being produced. Please visit copperstateracing.com for more details this Joey Logano Diecast Truck .

The No. 59 HT Motorsports team will take a well-deserved week off before returning to action on Saturday, October 18, for the running of the Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway. The 200-lap event at the Virginia short-track will begin shortly after 3:00 P.M. Eastern, with live coverage only on SPEED starting at 2:30 P.M. Eastern with the NCTS Set-up. Select affiliates of MRN Radio, along with Sirius NASCAR Radio Channel 128, will also have the live radio broadcast.