Joey Logano / No. 20 Sport Clips Toyota Preview
Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 at Phoenix International Raceway
No. 20 Sport Clips Toyota News & Notes:
. THE FIRST OF FIVE FOR SPORT CLIPS: In what is becoming quite the good look for Joey Logano, hair-care franchise Sport Clips will ride along as the primary sponsor on the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway. The Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 is the first of five events Sport Clips will adorn the side of the No. 20 Nationwide ride in 2011. Sport Clips is a national sport-themed hair-care franchise for men and boys that can be found in 36 states. Founded in 1995, the company has over 750 stores nationwide. Sport Clips will also be the primary sponsor on the No. 20 at Richmond International Raceway in April (with Denny Hamlin driving), Daytona International Speedway in July (with Logano), Chicagoland Speedway in September (Logano) and at Dover International Speedway in October (Logano). In addition, Sport Clips will also sponsor the No. 11 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series ride for Hamlin at Darlington Raceway on May 7th.
. LOGANO WANTS TO MAKE IT TWO-IN-A-ROW: The last time Joey Logano was behind the wheel of the No. 20 Toyota with Sport Clips as a sponsor, Logano delivered the goods. Logano gave Sport Clips its first NASCAR Nationwide Series victory last season at Kansas Speedway after winning from the pole and leading 18 laps, earning Logano his eighth-career NASCAR Nationwide Series victory in the process.
. A NEW SEASON, A FAMILIAR START FOR LOGANO: Joey took part in the season-opener for the NASCAR Nationwide Series on Saturday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway, bringing the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota home in the 12th position. However, Joey’s finish was not indicative of his race-long performance. Logano started sixth and quickly worked his way into the lead by lap two. Overall, Logano led on 10 different occasions for 22 laps and was in contention for the win, racing into the lead with JGR teammate Kyle Busch on the white flag lap, when the two got together and Logano hit the outside wall, forcing him to slow and limp across the line in 12th.
. CALLING HOME. WITH HELP FROM SPORT CLIPS AND LOGANO: When the pride of America, those active duty military and hospitalized veterans, look to call home for free on Sunday, February 27, they’ll have the voice of Sport Clips Racing driver Joey Logano thanking our military for their service. Logano recently recorded a greeting on behalf of Sport Clips that troops will hear when they make a free phone call home as part of the VFW Operation Uplink Free Call Day program. Over the past 4 years, Sport Clips has raised over $850,000 to support the VFW Operation Uplink Free Call Day program through our Help A Hero annual fundraiser. Working through MWR SPAWAR internet cafes around the world, VFW Operation Uplink has provided over 3,000,000 connections through 36 free call days. Made available through the internet cafes, “free call days” are growing in popularity; Operation Uplink is averaging more than one million minutes of free talk time on each “Free Call Day” at over 860 internet cafes. Each scheduled free call day is now posted on VFW Facebook under the events tab.
. JOEY NOT THE ONLY DOUBLE-DUTY GUY ON THE No. 20 TEAM: Joey Logano is scheduled to race in 21 NASCAR Nationwide Series events in 2011. And on each of those weekends, the youngster will pull double-duty, competing in both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series events on the same weekend at the same track. However, Logano isn’t the only member of the No. 20 Sport Clips team that pulls double-duty on any given weekend. In fact, the entire over-the-wall team that pits the Sport Clips Toyota also serves as Logano’s over-the-wall team for his No. 20 Hope Depot Toyota in the Sprint Cup Series. The switch to use Logano’s Cup over-the-wall team was made during the off-season in hopes of not only improving the pit stops for the No. 20 team, but to also give the Sprint Cup team even more practice in a “live action” setting.
. AFTER FOUR RACES, PHOENIX STILL HASN’T PAID UP: Phoenix International Raceway and Joey Logano get along, as is evident by the stats. In four races, Logano has a third, a fourth and two 10th-place finishes. He won the pole at the track in November of last season and has led 44 laps at the tracks over the years. But Logano still feels like the track owes him one after last April’s race at the one-mile oval. Logano found himself in the lead with just 10 laps to go. However, contact on pit road with Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch caused damage to Logano’s No. 20 Toyota and resulted in Logano falling from first to an eventual 10th-place finish over the race’s final laps.
. STAT OF THE WEEK: 81%. In 67 career starts in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, Logano has finished inside the top-10 an amazing 54 times, giving him a top-10 percentage of 82-percent.
. THE RACE: The Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 at Phoenix International Raceway (Avondale, AZ; 1-mile tri-oval) is set for Saturday, February 26, 2011. The race will be broadcast on ESPN2 at 5:30 p.m. EST, with radio coverage on MRN starting at 5 p.m. EST.
Joey Logano Quotes:
“I’ve always been a big fan of Phoenix. The track is really unique and unlike really any other place we go to on the circuit. Plus, I’ve always had a fast car there and ran really well. Unfortunately, we just don’t have the finishes to show for it. The last two races at the track we’ve had a Toyota that was fast enough to win the race, but things happened that prevented us from doing so. So this time, I’m determined to go out there and get a win.
“It would also be pretty cool to win the final Nationwide Series race at this track with its current configuration. I guess they are going to repave the place and add more progressive banking and move the dogleg back a little bit after the Nationwide and Cup races this weekend. I’m really glad to see they aren’t going to really change the track, just move it around. The dogleg on the backstretch is one of the things about this place that really gives it some character.
“I’m also pumped about Sport Clips being back on the car. The last time we raced the Sport Clips Toyota, we were celebrating in Victory Lane at Kansas. So it’s cool to have them back and hopefully, we can make it two wins in a row for them. Sport Clips is a great sponsor and they do a lot to make their NASCAR programs work and stand out. Plus, the car is one of the best looking on the track. So this could be a big weekend for us all around.”
Adam Stevens Quotes:
“Phoenix is a one-of-a-kind place. Even though I’ve never been a driver in one of these types of cars at this place, I can tell you that it is a driver’s racetrack. This is one of those tracks that is very sensitive to over-driving and always hitting the right line. So, that puts even more emphasis in the driver’s hand, but makes it even more important as a crew chief to make sure you get the setup right. If the setup is right and the car is comfortable, the driver is going to make fewer mistakes and be able to hit their marks with ease each and every lap.
“The other thing that sticks out about Phoenix is that tires are huge here and play a big role. That is the way it’s been in the past. And of course, this is going to be the first race with the new car here, so things will be a little different, but I don’t think it will change how important tires are. I’m hoping my Cup experience here at Phoenix will apply and give us a leg up when it comes to raceday.”
No. 20 Sport Clips Toyota / Joe Gibbs Racing Team
Driver – Joey Logano Crew Chief – Adam Stevens Car Chief – Mike Sibley Race Engineer – Curtis Ratzlaff Shock Specialist – Joel Weidman Front-end – Nick Fuller Rear-end – Dave Rudy Tire Specialist – Chris Jones Setup Specialist – Donny Brown Engine Tuner – Roger Purcell Truck Driver – Tim Clancy Jackman – Jason Tate Gasman – John Eicher Front Tire Changer – John Royer Front Tire Carrier – Brett Morrell Rear Tire Changer – Coleman Dollarhide Rear Tire Carrier – Eric Groen Windshield – Chris Jones
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