(Photo courtesy Leon Hammack)

Joey Logano won his first Nationwide Series race of the year at the Kentucky Speedway Saturday night.  But by winning the Meijer 300, Logano made history!  He was the first driver in NASCAR history to win 3 races in a row at the same track, and all the wins came from his pole . . . → Read More: Three In A Row For Logano!]]>

(Photo courtesy Leon Hammack)

Joey Logano won his first Nationwide Series race of the year at the Kentucky Speedway Saturday night.  But by winning the Meijer 300, Logano made history!  He was the first driver in NASCAR history to win 3 races in a row at the same track, and all the wins came from his pole qualifying position.

The victory was the seventh of Logano’s career in the series. It was his third from the pole at Kentucky.

It came a weekend after he was involved in a post-race brouhaha with Kevin Harvick after the Sprint cup race at Pocono.

Logano, who won five times a year ago in Nationwide, held off Carl Edwards to get the victory.

“Feels really good,” Edwards, who won five races last year but none so far this year, said.  After Edwards, points leader Brad Keselowski was third.

The Harvick-Logano incident has ignited T-shirt sales in the Kevin/Delana Harvick camp.  She has taken Logano’s dig at her “wearing the firesuit in the family”, and turned it into a marketable sales item for the Kevin Harvick foundation!  Now that is a lady who not only wars the firesuit but also knows how to turn a dig into money!

What is your take on the Harvick-Logano fracas?

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!

Joe Gibbs and Tom Logano

(photo courtesy Nick Laham/Getty Images)

There is a fine line between being involved and being a hindrance when it comes to a family connection with your son or daughter’s career.

One of the great ironies of auto racing is that the sport is in many ways a family-oriented affair, but at the same . . . → Read More: What To Do With Racing Dads?]]>

Joe Gibbs and Tom Logano

(photo courtesy Nick Laham/Getty Images)

There is a fine line between being involved and being a hindrance when it comes to a family connection with your son or daughter’s career.

One of the great ironies of auto racing is that the sport is in many ways a family-oriented affair, but at the same time too much family participation can be a bad thing.

Racing dads are usually the main culprits.

Isn’t it ironic that a racer is most successful when he/she is charging full steam ahead, taking no prisoners, rarely backing off, applying 100 percent full on, all the time?  But when it comes to being a successful mom, dad, fiance, or any other family member, the best ones have to learn to back off and let that family member be on their own and handle the situation as best as they can.

It has to be hard on those racing dads and moms. They’ve devoted lots of time and money to jump start their kid’s careers. They obviously have good racing instincts or their kids wouldn’t have advanced past the entry-level divisions. But at some point, an overactive dad or mom or friend or fiancé becomes a liability for a driver. Car owners and crew chiefs  and even NASCAR officials have enough egos and opinions to juggle without having to hear from dads too.

Racing dads are in the news this week as Joey Logano’s father, Tom Logano, was a major player in a pit road incident at Pocono Raceway between his son and Kevin Harvick.

It wasn’t an unusual scene. Something similar to that probably occurred at dozens of short tracks the night before.

Nevertheless, this is the “big time”!  The driver must handle their own battles and stand up for themselves, if he/she is going to drive in the “Big Show”!

There is a old adage that goes something like this:

“If you can’t run with the Big Dogs, then stay up on the porch!”

What is your view on Tom Logano’s involvement with his son, Joey’s, latest problems with Kevin Harvick?

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!

(photo courtesy Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

Seems these days that there is almost an award for every thing and/or category, even in NASCAR.  So there should be a category of “Zinger of the Year”!

So far for the 2010 race season I think that young Joey Logano should be the front runner for th4e award.  Last Sunday after Kevin . . . → Read More: Zinger Of The Year!]]>

(photo courtesy Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

Seems these days that there is almost an award for every thing and/or category, even in NASCAR.  So there should be a category of “Zinger of the Year”!

So far for the 2010 race season I think that young Joey Logano should be the front runner for th4e award.  Last Sunday after Kevin Harvick punted Logano for the third time this season, the young man finally let Harvick know that he had a “chapped butt”!

Logano blamed Harvick for crashing him.  Additionally Logano stated, “His wife wears the fire suit in the family, tells him what to do, so it probably isn’t his fault.”

The dig referred to Harvick’s wife Delana who famously dresses in a bright orange-and-red racing uniform identical to her husband’s during her pit-road vigil at each race. Many other wives also watch from pit road, but none wears a racing suit. There’s nothing wrong with it of course; it’s just, well, unusual.

Normally there’s no sharper tongue in all of NASCAR than Kevin’s, but in this case Logano out-Harvicked Harvick!

Aside from being amusing, the crack was telling. It revealed a fiery side of the talented young Logano that most us had never seen. Logano had always come across as a polite, mild-mannered, almost shy youngster. Suddenly he’s raging and pushing and having to be restrained from getting to Harvick.

I suspect Logano’s stock went up among race fans. We like our drivers to have a little salt and pepper.

This is not a dig at Harvick, however, but he’s the king of the wisecrackers and has made plenty of cutting remarks at his fellow drivers over the years. That’s what made Logano’s comment score so high – the zinger got zinged.

What is your thoughts on the Harvick-Logano rivalry?

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!

(photo courtesy Chris Trotman/Getty Images)

It is round three of the Harvick-dump-Logano racing saga!  With less than a handful of laps to go, Kevin Harvick drove his RCR #29 Shell/Penzoil Chevy very deep into “the tunnel” turn at Pocono Raceway. It is a very aggressive racing move late into the race, but unfortunately there happened to be . . . → Read More: The Harvick-Logano Saga Continues]]>

(photo courtesy Chris Trotman/Getty Images)

It is round three of the Harvick-dump-Logano racing saga!  With less than a handful of laps to go, Kevin Harvick drove his RCR #29 Shell/Penzoil Chevy very deep into “the tunnel” turn at Pocono Raceway. It is a very aggressive racing move late into the race, but unfortunately there happened to be the left rear quarter panel of the JGR #20 Home Depot Toyota driven by young Joey Logano in Harvick’s way.  So physics will dictate that only one object can occupy any certain piece of space at a time.  Therefore, Harvick’s contact with Logano’s left rear bumper sent Logano spinning and certainly on a vector towards the retaining wall.

In a very professional like manner, Logano”gassed ‘er up” and kept his Toyota from hurtling at 170 mph into the fence.  In fact the show that Logano put on was quite impressive keeping his car from smashing into the crash wall.  However, the smoke coming from the rear tires was only a small prelude as to the smoke that would come out from Logano’s mouth and ears once the race was over!

WorkingOnMyRedneck would have loved to have been privy to the conversation that took place in the old NASCAR trailer after the race.  Since both drivers and owners were sequestered to the famous NASCAR trailer, WOMR can only imagine the spirited conversation that took place!

If anyone still thinks that NASCAR and their drivers are mundane, lack fire in their belly, and personality, then you must not be paying attention to the 2010 season.  NASCAR’s policy of “have at it boys” has produced some very spirited confrontations and feuds, even among team mates!  Witness the Jeff Gordon-Jimmie Johnson saga, the Kyle Busch-Denny Hamlin rue, the Carl Edwards-”Blazingly Bad” Brad Keselowski incident, just to name a few this season.

NASCAR this season, has shown that the fire, desire,and the free-spirited race car driver still exists!  The only thing missing is the good old fashion “Blue Collar Butt-Whippin”!  Can it be just around the corner?

What is your take on the Kevin Harvick-Joey Logano confrontation?

P.S. Should NASCAR revoke daddy Logano’s “hard card” for his involvement in this fracas?

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!

(photo courtesy John Harrelson/Getty Images)

After starting on the pole because qualifying was rained out, after two encounters with the outside retaining wall, after a hard charging pack on the last restart, Kurt Busch in the Penske “blue deuce” captured a cool million dollars for the victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway Saturday night by winning the NASCAR . . . → Read More: Kurt Busch Wins The All Star Race]]>

(photo courtesy John Harrelson/Getty Images)

After starting on the pole because qualifying was rained out, after two encounters with the outside retaining wall, after a hard charging pack on the last restart, Kurt Busch in the Penske “blue deuce” captured a cool million dollars for the victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway Saturday night by winning the NASCAR All Star race.

Busch appeared to have the dominate hot rod early in the contest.  But his choice of racing lanes, “high, wide and in his case not so handsome”!  Yes, my friends, he was driving the Penske #2 Miller Lite Dodge way up high and not afraid to die.  But two encounters with the retaining wall slowed his Dodge up through the middle part of the contest, and dropped Kurt out of the top ten.  That allowed Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, and little brother Kyle Busch to contend for the lead.

By the last 10 lap dash segment, the Miller Lite pit crew got Kurt patched up, changed a couple of shocks, sent him back out in 11th place, and allowed the “blue deuce” back into contention.  Denny Hamlin, driving the JGR #11 FedEx Toyota faded,  little brother Kyle Busch, driving the JGR #18 M&M’s Pretzel Toyota, crashed after his fellow teammate Denny “Gimp-Along” Hamlin squeezed him up into the fence.  Jimmie Johnson spun out, leaving only Martin Truex, Jr., and Joey “Sliced Bread” Logano to challenge Kurt.

Neither Truex nor Logano had anything for the #2 Miller Lite Dodge and Busch motored away to his first ever NASCAR extracurricular activity race victory, ie the All Star race or Bud Shootout race.

The All Star victory made his boss’ trip to Charlotte all worth the flight.  Earlier in the day Team Penske driver Helio Castroneves won the pole for the 2010 Indianapolis 500, so “The Captain”, Roger Penske, had a great Saturday afternoon and evening.

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!

In a post race altercation Logano’s father Tom Logano walked up to Biffle’s car on pit road and had a verbal altercation with the driver that included calling the Roush driver “number one,” via a hand gesture – if you get my drift.

As a result the elder Logano’s credentials have been pulled and NASCAR spokesman Ramsey . . . → Read More: Logano Wins NNS At California]]>

In a post race altercation Logano’s father Tom Logano walked up to Biffle’s car on pit road and had a verbal altercation with the driver that included calling the Roush driver “number one,” via a hand gesture – if you get my drift.

As a result the elder Logano’s credentials have been pulled and NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said Tom Logano was meeting with officials to talk about the incident.

The Nationwide Series race Saturday at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA was won by the JGR #20 Game Stop Toyota driven by Joey Logano for his 5th victory of the 2009 season.

Logano took the lead from the pole only to be overhauled on lap 3 by, a rather ill feeling, Kyle Busch.  At the first yellow flag, Kyle Busch relinquished the lead and his driver’s seat of his JGR #18 Nos Enery Drink Toyota to relief driver, Denny Hamlin.  Hamlin resumed the race after a pit stop that relegated him to restart from the 20th position.

During this run Logano was racing for the lead with Greg Biffle.  Oddly enough, the two were racing down the back straight-away when Biffle appeared to run Logano into wall.  The damage that Logano’s car received pancaked his car’s entire left side and he fell back to 20th position.

As the race progressed towards the end, it became obvious that it would boil down to a five man race, Greg Biffle, Brad Keselowski, Carl Edwards, Joey Logano, and Denny Hamlin.  Yes that same Logano that got “stuffed into the fence” on the back stretch by Greg Biffle!

With 11 laps to go, Keselowski was racing Hamlin for the lead. As they were exiting turn 4 Keselowski was making a move down low on Hamlin for the lead, when Greg Biffle made a run on both of them up high.  The only problem for Biffle was that there was not enough room between Hamlin’s car( he was in the middle), Biffle’s car, and the fence.  Biffle’s run on the outside for the lead, only resulted in his car and Hamlin’s car getting waded  up and wrecking.  That wreck increased the number of cars that Biffle  put into the fence to 2!

The Biffle/Hamlin wreck and the ensuing restart allowed Joey Logano to race for, and take, the lead for his 5th victory off 2009 in the Nationwide Series.

In a post race altercation Logano’s father, Tom Logano, walked up to Biffle’s car on pit road and had a verbal altercation with the driver that included calling the Roush driver “number one,” via a hand gesture – if you get my drift.

As a result the elder Logano’s credentials have been pulled and NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said Tom Logano was meeting with officials to talk about the incident.

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!

(photo by Rusty Garrett/Getty Images)

Joey Logano held off his teammate, Kyle Busch, for the victory Friday night in the General Dollar 300 at Chicagoland Speedway.  The Joe Gibbs Racing 1-2 finish was the fourth time that it occurred this season.  The General Dollar 300 was Joey “Sliced Bread” Logano’s third victory of the 2009 Nationwide season.  It was also . . . → Read More: Logano Wins Nationwide at Chicagoland]]>

(photo by Rusty Garrett/Getty Images)

Joey Logano held off his teammate, Kyle Busch, for the victory Friday night in the General Dollar 300 at Chicagoland Speedway.  The Joe Gibbs Racing 1-2 finish was the fourth time that it occurred this season.  The General Dollar 300 was Joey “Sliced Bread” Logano’s third victory of the 2009 Nationwide season.  It was also his tenth top five finish of the season.

What appeared to be a mistake on the last yellow flag by not pitting for tires by the #20 JGR Game Stop Toyota, actually turned into a brilliant move!  Logano and Vickers stayed out on the last yellow flag, while the remaining cars on the lead lap all pitted and took either two or four tires for the 9 lap sprint to the finish. 

 It appeared that Logano was now going to be a sitting duck on the restart.  With ol Kylie Busch sitting a couple of rows back for the restart, four fresh ”feel goods” on the ground, and aggressiveness running in his veins, it would seem a forgone conclusion that The Las Vegas Weasel  driving the #18 JGR Toyota would overhaul his teammate for the victory!  However on the restart, “SLICED BREAD” got up on the wheel, kept the loud pedal done, and drove that Toyota really deep into turn one with hopes that those old worn out tires would stick just one more time.  In fact, that is exactly what happened!  For those last eight laps Logano drove that Toyota like he was double parked!!  Ultimately with the skill of a veteran, Logano drove off from the rest of the field to record his third victory!

It is refreshing top see this young man living up to all the hype and pressure that has been piled upon him at such a young age.  Not only is he dealing with being a nineteen year old teenager, but also he is competing in a “man’s profession” with all the pressures that go with the sponsors, as well as the other commitments of the job.  In the post race interview, Logano comes across with the enthusiasm and humility of a well grounded young man

Now in contrast, the interview with ol Kylie Busch, aka TLVW, shows just the opposite personality traits!  He pouts, whines, and generally shows his childish immaturity about finishing second. As a point of accuracy, by Busch finishing second in the race, he actually increased his lead over Carl Edwards in the Nationwide Series championship points!  But he still acted as if he and his team failed!  Go figure that!

What is your opinion on Logano, is he over hyped or is he living up to his press?  How about ol Kylie, do you think that he needs to take a chill pill?

TIL NEXT TIME, I AM WORKING ON MY REDNECK!

(photo by Leon Hammack)

NASCAR took a trip up to “LOBSTER COUNTRY” this weekend to The New Hampshire International Raceway at Louden.  This track holds a special place in the season, NHIS is the place where the Chase starts in just nine more races!

Once again at Louden the rain and fuel mileage were factors in deciding the . . . → Read More: The Rain Comes- Logano Stays Out!]]>

(photo by Leon Hammack)

NASCAR took a trip up to “LOBSTER COUNTRY” this weekend to The New Hampshire International Raceway at Louden.  This track holds a special place in the season, NHIS is the place where the Chase starts in just nine more races!

Once again at Louden the rain and fuel mileage were factors in deciding the outcome in today’s Lennox Industrial Tools 301.  For most of the afternoon the race seemed to boil down to a race between the #24 Dupont Chevy driven by Jeff Gordon, the #2 Miller Lite Dodge driven by Kurt Busch, and the #14 Office Depot Chevy driven by Tony “THE SMOKER” Stewart.  That trio seemed to be battling back and forth throughout the middle to late stages of the race for the lead at different times.

It is extremely ironic that on lap 182 the #20 Home Depot Toyota driven Joey Logano blew a left rear tire that brought out the yellow flag.  By the time he got back out on the track he was a lap down to the field. However, Logano got his lap back on a yellow flag at lap 193 brought out by a Scott Speed wreck.  At that time, Logano came into the pits for tires and fuel.

As the leaders began cycling into the pits for their fuel and tires, Logano  the #39 Haas Automation Chevy driven by Ryan Newman assumed the lead. As luck would have it, Newman ran out of gas trying on lap 264 while trying to stretch his fuel mileage.  Shortly thereafter, the rain came and the race was yellow flagged for a few laps.  At lap 273 the race was red flagged and ultimately the race was called as the rain intensity increased.

So it is  today that we witness another record for the NASCAR history books.  Joey Logano wins his first NASCAR Cup race at the tender age of 19 years 1 month and 4 days.  He has just become the youngest driver in the history of NASCAR to win a Cup race obliterating the former record set by ol Kylie Busch of 20 years 4 months and 2 days old.

Even though young Mr. Logano wasn’t even remotely the fastest race car at Louden today, he takes the money and the trophy home to Joe Gibbs Racing!  At best the #20 Home Depot Toyota was a 15th place car, but fuel strategy and a very gutsy call by Greg Zippidelli garnered the top spot at the Lennox Industrial Tools 301!

UNTIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!