Sat Jun 14 23:21:45 2008

Comment | Email | Print

Logano sets Nationwide record with win

---

Sparta, KY (Sports Network) - Joey Logano, all of 18 years and 21 days old, won Saturday night's Meijer 300 at the Kentucky Speedway making him the youngest driver to win a Nationwide Series race. The old record was held by Casey Atwood at 18 years, 10 months when in won at Milwaukee in July 1999.

The No.20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota crossed the finish line 2.259 seconds ahead of Scott Wimmer. The victory came in his third start.

"This is unbelievable," said Logano. "How about this team. Couldn't ask for a better Father's Day gift. I was wondering what to get my dad, I think this will work."

Logano and Kyle Busch were battling for the lead for most of the evening, but when Busch's Toyota spun out late in the race, there was no one to challenge the rookie.

A ragged start interrupted what should be a great race with a couple of up and coming stars like Logano and Brad Keselowski up front and current stars like Busch and Carl Edwards starting near the back.

Busch didn't stay there long. Despite not practicing or qualifying in his car, Busch charged from last to 16th in the first 10 laps. By lap 23 Busch was knocking on the door of the top-five.

Meanwhile, Jason Keller, who started alongside Logano, got around the rookie on lap 18. Busch caught both Logano and Keller at lap 30. He slid under teammate Logano on lap 39 and was just four lengths behind Keller. One lap later he was the leader - from near last to first in 40 laps.

Just past the 50-lap mark, the leaders began green-flag pit stops. Busch made the stop on lap 54 with a three-second lead in hand. After the cycle of stops, Busch's lead was just under seven seconds.

At lap 80 Busch's lead was 7.866 seconds and he had just lapped the 16th-place car. Then a "debris" caution flag erased the lead in a heartbeat.

Scott Wimmer used a no-tire stop to get the lead, but was a sitting duck for Busch, who was in second place with four new tires. It took just two turns for Busch to regain the lead and off he went again. Logano, who also has new tires went with him.

At the halfway point Busch and Logano had built a five-second lead on third- place Scott Wimmer.

But even though Logano and Busch are teammates and have similar set ups, the rookie couldn't keep up with the Sprint Cup Series points leader. At lap 125 Busch held one second on Logano and almost nine seconds on third place.

Another "debris" caution erased the Busch lead with 65 laps to go. They came off pit road with Busch and Logano leading Wimmer and Keselowski and finally went back to green on lap 143.

The green flag dropped and Busch shot off the line. But Logano stayed right with him. Then on lap 146 Logano drove around the outside of Busch for the lead. Logano built his lead to half-a-second with 50 laps remaining.

Was Busch conserving fuel and tires for the finish?

The two teammates again built a big lead - with 40 laps to go they held 2.6 seconds on Wimmer. Then Busch got loose in Turn 2 and his race was done.

A couple of the lead-lap cars near the back pitted, but the leaders stayed out - they were done pitting for the evening.

The green flag dropped with 31 laps to go. Jason Leffler got around Wimmer for second coming out of Turn 2, but this was Logano's race. Logano's lead was 0.439 seconds with 30 remaining, 1.490 at lap 180 and 2.760 with five laps to go. From there he sailed to the checkered flag.

Clint Bowyer will take a 170-point championship lead over Keselowski to the next race, set for Saturday, June 21st at the historic Milwaukee Mile.