Sunday, June 10, 2012

Youth is served: Joey Logano becomes Pocono's youngest winner

http://blogs.mcall.com/groller/ FROM KEITH GROLLER In what was described as the beginning of a new era for NASCAR at Pocono Raceway, the Pocono 400 on Sunday produced a new winner. Pole-sitter Joey Logano, just 22, brushed past his mentor Mark Martin on the 157th lap and Logano stayed in front the rest of the way for his second career victory, and first at Long Pond. It was Logano's first win since a victory in New Hampshire in June of 2009. Logano's win came at the end of an interesting, if not somewhat confusing day at Pocono where a newly-repaved surfrace and a reduction in race length was expected to provide some changes. The biggest problem was on pit road where 22 penalities were issued for some kind of speeding violation. There were also seven cautions for 35 laps, the most significant being for three laps for debris on Turn 2 from laps 150-152. That reset for the field one last time with under 10 laps to go and Logano was able to catch up to Martin, bump him on the front straightaway and then pass him entering Turn 1. "I knew my car was better than his [Martin's] and clean air is worth so much," Logano said. "I didn't want to get into the back of Mark there. But I had runaway speed and he was getting free and I just stayed right there. It was my one shot to get it because it's so hard to pass. I would have been on suicide watch if I gave it away like that. It was awesome to get it." Logano, who drives the Home Depot Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, has endured his share of criticism with some even suggesting he should stayed in the Nationwide Series. "I hope this shuts them all up," he said. "It means a lot for me and my whole team. It's just cool."

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