Author: Official Release

TALLADEGA, Ala.(October 26, 2010) – As Halloween approaches, Flu season is lurking in the shadows. Entering Talladega Superspeedway for the Amp Energy 500, Marcos Ambrose and his No. 47 KLEENEX® Brand Toyota Camry team are supporting Say “Boo!” to the Flu events.

The racing organization, owned by Jodi and Tad Geschickter and Brad Daugherty, is teaming up with Families Fighting Flu (FFF), The Visiting Nurse Associations of America (VNAA) and The Clorox Company to build awareness about family flu vaccination locations and to educate parents on the importance of flu prevention.

Family Dollar, which is a No. 47 Toyota Camry associate sponsor at Talladega Speedway, will host the VNNA by having six stores designated as a vaccination location in the Talladega area. Family Dollar along with The Clorox Company, Kimberly-Clark Corporation and GlaxoSmithKline are presenting a $10,000 check to the VNAA during driver introductions to assist in their flu prevention efforts.

“For the Halloween race weekend, we are asking parents to become ‘flu fighting wizards’ by visiting Say ‘Boo!’ to the Flu events – – where the whole family can get vaccinated and learn simple tricks to help prevent the flu,” Ambrose said. “Washing and sanitizing your hands and cleaning hot spots (frequently touched surfaces) with Clorox products are a couple of ways to be preventive along with getting vaccinated. And, using KLEENEX® Brand facial tissues will help keep from spreading air-born germs. I have two young daughters and we’re definitely following the Say ‘Boo!’ to the Flu guidelines to scare away the flu monster. You can visit www.SayBooToTheFlu.com to find a vaccination location near you and learn more about flu prevention.”

“However, if you are coming out to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega, there are convenient Family Dollar locations where you can be vaccinated and purchase Clorox and Kleenex products that will help you fight the flu this season,” Ambrose continued. “To make it a little easier on finding a Family Dollar, below are the store locations.”

10/27 20 N. Broadway Avenue, Sylacauga, Ala. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Central

10/27 913 First Street, Childersburg, Ala. 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Central

10/28 103 17th Street, Talladega, Ala. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Central

10/28 2122 Cogswell Avenue, Pell City Ala. 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Central

10/29 1722 Quintard Avenue, Anniston, Ala. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Central

10/29 3228 McClellan Boulevard, Anniston, Ala. 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Central

Say “Boo!” to the Flu kicked off in September, and hosts more than 100 vaccination events across the country during the month of October. Families attending local Say “Boo!” to the Flu events can get vaccinated against seasonal flu and learn other important tips to help prevent the spread of seasonal flu. Visit www.SayBooToTheFlu.com to see if there is an event in your area.

“It’s ideal to get your family vaccinated and stock up on preventative products before the flu season peaks – – now is the time,” Ambrose said.

To coincide with bringing awareness to the program, Ambrose will have the logo of KLEENEX® Brand facial tissues on the hood of his No. 47 Toyota Camry and a Say “Boo!” to the Flu decal on the TV panel during race number 33 of the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season at Talladega Superspeedway. Ambrose, whose best finish is fourth at the 2.66-mile tri-oval (4/26/09), is hoping to be there in the end mixing it up for a win.

“Talladega takes your breath away – – you have to remind yourself to breathe,” Ambrose said. “It’s action-packed from start to finish and the ending is nothing short of spectacular. Fans are always on their feet at that place because you never know what’s going to happen or who is going to win. You can’t blink your eye because you might miss something. It’s anybody’s race and on the last lap I hope it’s mine.”

Live coverage of the AMP Energy 500 begins on ESPN at 1 p.m. ET and will also air on MRN Radio.

About Family Dollar:

Beginning with one store in 1959 in Charlotte, North Carolina, the Company currently operates more than 6,800 stores in 44 states. Family Dollar Stores, Inc., a Fortune 500 company, is based in Matthews, North Carolina, just outside of Charlotte and is a publicly held company with common stock traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol FDO. For more information, please visit www.familydollar.com.

About The Clorox Company

The Clorox Company is committed to helping families live happier, healthier lives. As part of this commitment, Clorox is honored to support the Say “Boo!” to the Flu program to educate parents about the importance of flu prevention and the role of disinfecting to help prevent the spread of surface germs that cause the flu. For more information, visit www.Clorox.com. For more information about the role of disinfecting to help prevent the spread of surface germs that cause the flu, visit www.SayBooToTheFlu.com.

About VNAA:

The Visiting Nurse Associations of America (VNAA) is the national association that supports, promotes and advances nonprofit home health and hospice providers that care for all individuals regardless of the complexity of their illness or their ability to pay. The VNAA’s members make up the largest network of nonprofit community immunizers in the country and are committed to enhancing vaccination programs nationwide. Collectively, VNAA members administered more than 1.5 million doses of flu vaccine last year.

About Families Fighting Flu, Inc.:

Families Fighting Flu (FFF) is a non-profit, volunteer-based organization established in 2004 that is made up of families and healthcare practitioners. Each family has experienced first-hand the death of a child due to the flu or has had a child experience severe medical complications from the flu. We are dedicated to educating people about the severity of influenza and the importance of vaccinating children against the flu every year. Through education and advocacy, we hope to improve the rates of childhood flu vaccinations and help reduce the number of childhood illnesses and deaths caused by the flu each year.

No. 18 team captures Tissot award in Martinsville

By winning the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Sunday’s Sprint Cup race at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, Kyle Busch’s No. 18 crew moved into a three-way tie for first place in the Tissot season standings.

With four Sprint Cup races remaining in the 2010 season, the crews for Busch, Jeff Gordon and Jamie McMurray lead the Tissot standings with four wins each. The crews for Matt Kenseth and Clint Bowyer are tied for second with three wins.

In the event there is a tie at the end of the season for the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award championship, the tiebreaker goes to the team whose driver finishes the highest in the Sprint Cup point standings.

Along with $5,000 going to the weekly winning pit crew, the team with the most Tissot Pit Road Precision Award wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule will receive a $105,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the over-the-wall crew members and driver.

The No. 18 crew’s victory at Martinsville came as a result of Busch’s M&M’s Toyota spending the least amount of time on pit road – 280.163 seconds. The effort helped Busch post a strong fourth-place finish in the TUMS Fast Relief 500.

Busch’s over-the-wall crew consists of: Nick Odell (front-tire changer), Brad Donaghy (front-tire carrier), Jake Seminara (rear-tire changer), Kenny Barber (rear-tire carrier), Jeff Fender (jackman), Tom Lampe (gasman), Jason Hinson (catch can). The team’s pit crew coach is Mike Lepp and the crew chief is Dave Rogers.

“I think that the M&M’s team is the best week in and week out on pit road,” said Busch. “They are fast. They don’t get the credit they deserve. Martinsville isn’t one of my favorite tracks and we didn’t qualify well on Friday, so our pit selection was limited. The guys really had to be on their game because of our pit stall. The guys gave me good stops all day long and helped us keep that track position. I’m really proud of the effort by Dave (Rogers, crew chief) and everyone on the M&M’s team. Those guys win me a lot of races and get me a lot of good finishes. Martinsville was another one of those days.”

2010 Tissot Pit Road Precision Award Standings

Pos Team No. Pit Crew For Wins Prize Money

T1 24 Jeff Gordon 4 $20,000

T1 1 Jamie McMurray 4 20,000

T1 18 Kyle Busch 4 20,000

T4 17 Matt Kenseth 3 15,000

T4 33 Clint Bowyer 3 15,000

T6 56 Martin Truex Jr. 2 10,000

T6 00 David Reutimann 2 10,000

T6 14 Tony Stewart 2 10,000

T9 42 Juan Pablo Montoya 1 5,000

T9 12 Brad Keselowski 1 5,000

T9 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1 5,000

T9 39 Ryan Newman 1 5,000

T9 2 Kurt Busch 1 5,000

T9 26 Boris Said 1 5,000

T9 16 Greg Biffle 1 5,000

T9 29 Kevin Harvick 1 5,000

2010 Tissot Pit Road Precision Award Winners

Daytona, 2/14 Juan Pablo Montoya Team

Fontana, 2/21 Jeff Gordon Team

Las Vegas, 2/28 Martin Truex Jr. Team

Atlanta, 3/7 Martin Truex Jr. Team

Bristol, 3/21 Brad Keselowski Team

Martinsville, 3/29 Clint Bowyer Team

Phoenix, 4/10 Matt Kenseth Team

Texas, 4/19 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Team

Talladega 4/25 David Reutimann Team

Richmond, 5/1 Ryan Newman Team

Darlington, 5/8 Jamie McMurray Team

Dover, 5/16 Matt Kenseth Team

Charlotte, 5/30 Jeff Gordon Team

Pocono, 6/6 Kyle Busch Team

Michigan, 6/13 Kurt Busch Team

Sonoma, 6/20 Boris Said Team

Loudon, 6/27 Jeff Gordon Team

Daytona, 7/3 Jeff Gordon Team

Chicago, 7/10 Jamie McMurray Team

Indianapolis, 7/25 Jamie McMurray Team

Pocono, 8/1 Greg Biffle Team

Watkins Glen, 8/8 Kyle Busch Team

Michigan, 8/15 Tony Stewart Team

Bristol, 8/21 David Reutimann Team

Atlanta, 9/5 Tony Stewart Team

Richmond, 9/11 Matt Kenseth Team

Loudon, 9/19 Clint Bowyer Team

Dover, 9/26 Kyle Busch Team

Kansas, 10/3 Kevin Harvick Team

Fontana, 10/10 Clint Bowyer Team

Charlotte, 10/16 Jamie McMurray Team

Martinsville, 10/24 Kyle Busch’s Team

About Tissot

For Tissot, “In touch with your time” is far more than an advertising claim. This phrase expresses the brand’s DNA; its proven dedication to being perfectly in tune with the technology and tastes of each era. Tissot has been growing and developing its tradition of innovation since 1853. From the early days to the present, in its home in Le Locle in the Swiss Jura mountains, Tissot has translated craftsmanship and precision into stylish timepieces now sold in over 150 countries around the world. Special materials, advanced functionality and meticulous design detail join forces to create the luxury of accessibility. Today Tissot is a member of the Swatch Group, the world’s largest watch producer and distributor of Swiss watches, as well as official timekeeper and partner of NASCAR®, International Basketball Federation (FIBA), Australian Football League (AFL), Chinese Basketball Association (CBA), MotoGP and the World Championships of Cycling, Fencing and Ice hockey. The tradition of innovation lives on, keeping closely in touch with the times.

Talladega Superspeedway Advance Notes

Race: AMP Energy 500 on Sunday, Oct. 31

Track: Talladega Superspeedway (2.66-mile oval)

Location: Talladega, Ala.

Earnhardt Ganassi Media Contacts at Talladega Superspeedway

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS)

Jarrod England No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Tribute Chevrolet

Shayna Keller No. 42 Target Chevrolet

NOTES

Jamie McMurray and No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Tribute Team

Talladega Review: McMurray and the No. 1 team will return to Superspeedway racing this weekend at Talladega. McMurray has won two of the last four restrictor-plate races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series having won the 2009 fall event at Talladega and the 2010 Daytona 500. His victory marked his best finish at Talladega where he has led 166 laps and has five top-five and six top-10 finishes in 16 starts. Outside of his 2009 victory, McMurray had his second best finish in the first 2010 NSCS event at Talladega coming home in the second-position. His best start was in the Fall of 2003 when he started on the outside pole.

Martinsville Recap: Consistency and hard work has continued to payoff for McMurray and his team in the Chase’s first six races, this includes their 11th-place finish at the bull ring that is Martinsville Speedway on Sunday afternoon, battling back from a pit road speeding penalty during the first round of pit stops, coming home 11th, with a car that resembled a vehicle from the movie Mad Max.

Bass Pro Shops Special Tribute to “The Intimidator”: The No. 1 Chevrolet will carry a special tribute paint scheme this weekend at Talladega. The paint scheme will be reminiscent of the black and gold Bass Pro Shops paint scheme that Dale Earnhardt ran in the 1998 All-Star race. The tribute is in honor of Dale Earnhardt being inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame’s inaugural class. Talladega was selected as the venue to run the tribute paint scheme because it marks the 10th Anniversary of Dale’s 76th and final Cup victory. The only other time the special black and gold Bass Pro Shops paint scheme appeared on track was during the 1998 Sprint All-Star Race (then known as “The Winston”) on the No. 3 Chevrolet of Dale Earnhardt. The paint scheme was compliments of his longtime friend and fellow racing and fishing enthusiast, Johnny Morris, Founder/CEO of Bass Pro Shops.

Bass Pro Shops and Dale Earnhardt: The name Earnhardt and Bass Pro Shops have become synonymous in NASCAR racing circles over the last 15 years. The company, founded by Johnny Morris, joined forces with Dale Earnhardt Inc. in the mid-eighties, the relationship continues to this day as Bass Pro Shops continues their partnership with the Earnhardt name through their sponsorship of the No.1 Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats Chevrolet of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, driven by Jamie McMurray. McMurray, a native of Joplin, MO, has certainly brought an extra bit of pride to the Springfield, MO based company by winning the 2010 Daytona 500, Brickyard 400, and the Bank of America 500 with Bass Pro Shops as the primary sponsor.

Meet McMurray: 2010 Daytona 500, Brickyard 400, and Bank of America 500 winner, Jamie McMurray, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Rookie Austin Dillon will be at the Bass Pro Shops located in Leeds, AL this Thursday, Oct. 28. The Bass Pro Shops drivers will be on-site signing autographs beginning at 5:30pm (CST). The Leeds, Al store is located at 5000 Bass Pro Blvd., along I-20 between Talladega Superspeedway and Birmingham, Al, approximately 30 minutes from Talladega Superspeedway. Fans are encouraged to arrive early and often, and will receive one autograph per person.

Continuing Consistency: The No. 1 Team’s has been on a hot streak over the last 14 races. The impressive record includes two victories (Indy & Charlotte), two poles (Chicago and Fontana), nine top-10 starting positions, five top-five, six top-10, and 10 top-15 finishes. The team also carries an average start of 11th and average finish of 10th after the last 14 races dating back to Chicagoland in mid-July. Since the mid-point of the season (Chicagoland) McMurray currently stacks up with the Chase contenders in the following statistics:

– Two victories (Indy & Charlotte) – (Tied for 1st)

– Two poles (Chicago & Fontana) – (Tied for 1st )

– Five top-five finishes – (Tied for 3rd)

– Six top-10 finishes – (Tied for 6th)

– 10 top-15 finishes – (Tied for 4th)

– Average start of 11th – (Tied for 3rd)

– Average Finish of 10th – (Tied for 2nd)

McMurray vs. the Chase: While not in the Chase, McMurray and the No. 1 team haven’t given up on being one of the most impressive race teams on the track. The team has been on a hot streak during the first six races of the Chase. Compared to the top-12 Chase drivers this is how McMurray and the No. 1 Team currently stack up:

– Average start of 11.6 – (Ranks 3rd)

– Average finish of 9th – (Ranks 4th)

– Ranks 4th for the most points gained in the chase with 866 points gained

Juan Pablo Montoya and No. 42 Target Team

Talladega History: Montoya will take the green flag for his eighth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend. He has two top-five finishes at the Superspeedway, second in 2008 and third earlier this season. Montoya has completed 1315 of 1337 laps (98.4%), including all 579 laps for the last three events. Montoya also captured the pole at Talladega for the 2009 spring event.

About Martinsville: The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returned to Martinsville Speedway for the final short track race of the 2010 season. The No. 42 Target Chevrolet qualified in the fifth position and ran as high as fourth before brake problems plagued Montoya. The Target team would finish out the 500-lap event in the 19th position.

Homestead-Miami Ticket Package: Race fans remember to purchase the Montoya ticket package for the NSCS season finale Ford 400. Juan Pablo Montoya and Homestead-Miami Speedway have once again partnered to offer fans a special “Race Day with Juan” ticket package to help support the Montoya’s foundation- Formula Smiles. The ticket package is available for $142, with $42 going towards Formula Smiles Foundation and includes the following:

– Race Ticket to NSCS finale Ford 400 located on the front-stretch West in rows 11-21- JPM Section

– Private pre-race meet-and-greet with Montoya in the infield Driver’s Meeting Room

– No. 42 Target Chevrolet commemorative hat

– Pre-Race Track Pass, providing access to the track’s front-stretch to take pictures, sign the start/finish line and enjoy autograph and Q&A sessions with NASCAR personalities

To purchase “Race Day with Juan” or to upgrade to this package if tickets already have been purchased please visit HomesteadMiamiSpeedway.com/Montoya or call (866) 409-RACE.

Top-10 Rankings: Although Montoya and the No. 42 Target team are not Chase contenders, their 2010 statistics rank among the Chase contenders. So far this season Montoya has two pole awards, 22 top-10 starting positions, five top-five and 13 top-10 finishing positions. Along with the on-track success, Montoya currently ranks in the top-10 in the following performance generated categories:

– Average start of 10.6 (2nd)

– Fastest drivers early in a run (5th)

– Quality passes (5th)

– 379 Fastest laps run (6th)

– 6738 Laps in top-15 (6th)

– Fastest drivers on restarts (6th)

– Average running position (7th)

– 685.20 Miles led (7th)

– Driver rating of 92.6 (8th)

– Green flag speed (8th)

– 393 Laps led (8th)

Save at Target: This month Target has launched a new program for its consumers to save money each time purchases are made at the retail store or online. Consumers will save 5% off total purchases every time a Target Credit Card®, Target® Visa® Credit Card or Target Debit Card™ (each a “REDcard®) is used. For more details visit www.redcard.target.com/redcard

CHASSIS INFO

No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Tribute Chevrolet (NSCS): Chassis #1009. Crew Chief Kevin “Bono” Manion has elected to bring chassis #1009 to Talladega this weekend, the same chassis that led 27 laps and finished second in the Spring Talladega event.

No. 42 Target Chevrolet (NSCS): Chassis #902. The No. 42 Target team will bring chassis #902 to Talladega Superspeedway this weekend. This chassis was used at the first Talladega and Daytona events this year as well as all four superspeedway events last season. Montoya captured the pole for the spring Talladega event last season and has started in the top-10 for four of the six events. He has three top-10 finishes with this chassis including third at the first 2010 Talladega event.

Jimmie Johnson

2010 Starts: 32 Wins: 6 Top 5: 15 Top 10: 19

Current Driver Point Standing: 1st

Finish in Martinsville: 5th November 2009 Finish at Talladega: 6th

RACE NOTES

Talladega Superspeedway

Johnson has made 17 Sprint Cup Series starts at Talladega Superspeedway, where he has earned one win, four top-five and seven top-10 finishes.

Johnson has completed 95.9% (3092 of 3225) of competition laps at the 2.66-mile tri-oval and has led 201.

He has an average start and finish of 9.7 and 17.8.

Chassis

Johnson will pilot brand new chassis No. 618 in Sunday’s Sprint Cup Series race.

Back up chassis No. 482 was driven to a sixth-place result at Talladega last November.

QUOTES

IS THE RUN FOR THIS CHAMPIONSHIP THIS YEAR ANY DIFFERENT THAN ANY OF THE OTHERS THAT YOU HAVE WON? “Yeah, I think that every other championship has helped me be more confident in my abilities, what my team is capable of; and there are probably some other emotions

that are wrapped up into it that all lead to the fact that I am much more relaxed fighting for this championship than any other championship in my life. So experience really helps out a lot and I have enjoyed these last five races more than I did the last year and the year before, and so on.

“I feel like I am in a really good place where some guys that are fighting for their first championship, there is so much on it. I have been there, so I know exactly what those feelings are like. I feel like it’s helpful for me to be this relaxed and to come in and not obsess over things during the week and to come into the track with a fresh mind and a ton of energy and go to work. So I really hope that the experience gives me an upper hand through the championship battle.”

AT TALLADEGA, THERE IS REALLY NO WAY OF STAYING OUT OF THE BIG ONE. YOU’VE DONE IT BOTH WAYS, AT THE FRONT OF THE PACK AND THE BACK OF THE PACK. IS IT REALLY A ONE IN 200-LAP SHOOTOUT THAT YOU NEVER REALLY KNOW AND THERE’S NO SURE WAY OF AVOIDING IT? “We’ve tried both approaches and the last three years we’ve made it through there (the big crash) without any big trouble. I can remember Bobby Labonte at the front of the pack racing Talladega one time and gets flipped over and ends up landing on Tony Stewart, who is trying to ride at the back to be smart for points. So there is no safe place. We see a lot of teams trying to be conservative and smart and get to the end of the race and go from there and the problem we have now is when everybody decides with 20 (laps) to go, that it’s time to race, you have to race. You need the best finish you can get and that’s where the crashes are. So I think we all feel better if we go 480 miles and then get crashed. It really sucks to crash at five miles into the race or something. I think that’s what we’ve done over the years is there’s no need to push the envelope now if something weird went on, we could miss that. But at the end you’ve got to pull (the belts) tight and drive through there and try to get the best finish you can.”

SPRINT CUP SERIES CAREER NOTES

Career Wins

Johnson has 53 wins in his Sprint Cup Series career, his most recent coming at Dover International Speedway on Sept. 26, 2010.

The El Cajon, Calif.-native is currently 10th on NASCAR’s all-time wins list, one victory behind Lee Petty.

He is second in total wins among active drivers, behind Jeff Gordon (82).

Johnson needed only 296 starts to hit the 50 mark. Only three drivers have reached 50 victories quicker – Gordon (232), Darrell Waltrip (278) and David Pearson (293).

Johnson has won at least three Cup races a season since he posted his first victory in 2002. He is the only driver in the modern era to win at least three races in each of his first eight full-time seasons.

Johnson has won Sprint Cup Series races at all but four (Michigan, Chicago, Watkins Glen, Homestead) of the 22 tracks on which the series competes.

Johnson was the first driver to win three of the first five races in The Chase.

Johnson’s 10 wins in 2007 was the highest number recorded in a single season since Jeff Gordon posted 13 victories in 1998.

The four-consecutive wins scored by the No. 48 team in the 2007 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup ties a modern-era NASCAR record.

Career Poles

Johnson has collected 25 poles in his Sprint Cup career.

The championship driver has earned at least one pole a year since his first full-time season in 2002.

He had a career-high six poles in 2008.

Johnson’s most recent pole position was at Dover International Speedway on Sept. 24, 2010.

Career Starts

In 32 2010 starts, Johnson has collected six wins, 15 top five and 19 top-10 finishes.

Johnson has finished in the top five in the Sprint Cup Series point standings each year since his first full season in 2002.

Johnson is the only driver to qualify for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup every year since the format was adopted in 2004.

In 323 Sprint Cup Series starts, Johnson has posted 132 top-five and 199 top-10 finishes.

He has a top-five finish at every track on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series circuit.

Johnson has led a total of 10,992 laps (of 93,127) in his Sprint Cup career, covering over 124,543 miles.

He has finished on the lead lap 249 times.

Joey Logano wanted a good finish on Sunday for several reasons. Not only was he out to prove that his finish of second in the spring race at Martinsville Speedway wasn’t a fluke, but it was also the first race for his regular NASCAR Nationwide Series sponsor, GameStop, in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

And Logano came out of Martinsville Speedway with just what he wanted; a sixth-place finish behind the wheel of the No. 20 GameStop Toyota. It was Logano’s third-straight top-10 finish in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and fourth top-10 in the last five races.

Logano qualified the GameStop Toyota in the 22nd position. However, it didn’t take Logano long to move his way to the front of the field. After falling back on the initial start to 24th, Logano found himself in the top 20 by lap 22 and then found himself in the top 10 by lap 91.

Crew Chief Greg Zipadelli and the entire Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) team continued to improve the car all race long, searching for the perfect balance of a sometimes loose- and sometimes tight-handling car. All of the team’s adjustments seemed to be to Logano’s liking though, as the No. 20 was constantly picking up positions all afternoon noon no matter where he was in the running order.

The GameStop team got behind in the middle portion of the race when a caution brought half of the field to pit road while Joey and the other half stayed out on the track, forcing Logano to restart the race in the 19th position. However, Logano was able to log laps and pick off cars one-by-one, eventually racing his way back into the top 10.

Logan’s biggest detractor during the race was his proficiency for starting on the top-lane during restarts. More times than not, Logano found himself on the outside lane, which wasn’t the preferred line and would often find himself losing several spots on restarts before getting himself inline and back to the low side. However, once on the low side, Logano would start his march back to the front.

Logano once again found himself in the top 10 thanks to a great pit stop by the GameStop crew on lap 386. After restarting 10th, Logano worked his way up to sixth over the race’s final 100 laps, giving him a second and sixth in his last two races at the paperclip-shaped half-mile track.

Denny Hamlin, Logano’s teammate at JGR, earned the victory, while Kyle Busch finished fourth. The sixth-place run for Logano moved him up another position in the Sprint Cup point standings to 17th. He is less than 50 points out of 16th position.

Joey Logano Thoughts:

“I’m really happy with our sixth-place effort, especially with all of the things we had to overcome today. It was great to get GameStop a top-10 finish in their first effort in the Cup Series, and it was cool to see their car on the track. I always have a great time representing them in the Nationwide Series so it was fun to get to do it in the Cup world this weekend.

“We had a really good car. We were just a little tight there early and then had to go back on some of our changes in the middle portion of the race, then we got tight again late. Every time though, Zippy (Crew Chief Greg Zipadelli) would make the right calls and get the car a little bit better. Our biggest problem was getting stuck back there mid-pack when some of us leaders pitted and others didn’t and then also always finding ourselves running in a position that put us on the outside during all of those restarts. The top lane just doesn’t go here, and you always find yourself losing a few spots and working your butt off just to get clear and get down to the bottom. Once we did, we could make those positions up because we had a fast car. But in doing so, you also use your stuff up.

“I think we had a top-five car for sure. I don’t know if it was a winning car, but it was a top-five car. We just used up our stuff there on that last green-flag run. I think if we had a chance to come in and get some tires, we could have been in the top-five. But all-in-all, another top-10 finish is great. That is three in a row for us and two straight here at Martinsville, which I would say isn’t one of my best tracks. So we are headed in the right direction and building up a lot of momentum for the last four races of the season. I’m pretty pumped about it really.”

What’s Next:

The No. 20 GameStop Toyota will return to the NASCAR Nationwide Series in two weeks at Texas Motor Speedway for the O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge on Nov. 6. Texas is the home track for GameStop, which is located just miles away in Grapevine, TX. Logano started first and finished second earlier this year at Texas in the GameStop Toyota.