Joey Logano and The Home Depot Team had been one of the most competitive teams over the closing 10 races of the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season and gaining momentum for 2011. Unfortunately Logano was spun during the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway and relegated to a 39th-place finish. He was able to maintain the 16th position in the final point standings after earning one pole, seven top-five and 16 top-10 finishes this season.

“That’s a disappointing way to end the season,” said Logano. “We were running mid-pack and about to take a big swing at changes to The Home Depot Toyota when I felt I was hooked by the No. 42 car and sent into the wall. We’ve had great momentum going over the last seven races and I really want to carry that into next season and I know we will.”

Logano was the top qualifying Joe Gibb Racing (JGR) car on Friday and started from the 19th position for the 400-mile season finale. It didn’t take long for Logano to radio in to crew chief Greg Zipadelli and tell him the car was too loose into and off of the corners. When the yellow flag was displayed on lap 17, Zipadelli called him down pit road for a chassis adjustment, fresh tires and fuel. Racing resumed on lap 22 with Logano in 21st, but his teammate and championship contender Denny Hamlin spun one lap later bringing out the second caution.

The Home Depot Team was able to help the handling on the car, but unfortunately Logano was still lacking speed. Logano and his spotter discussed on several occasions where it appeared the car was handling the worst on the track, and when the caution flag waved on lap 97 the team made additional adjustments. Logano fell back as far as 24th on lap 132, but his day would soon get much worse. Following the caution flag on lap 135, the team made a routine stop and lined up 20th for the restart on lap 140. Unfortunately Logano was spun by the No. 42 car, hit the wall and had to take The Home Depot Toyota to the garage for repairs.

The team put a new front nose on the No. 20 Camry and repaired the front end damage enough to get Logano back onto the track just 40 laps later. He was now multiple laps down and in the 38th position. Logano was vocally upset with Juan Pablo Montoya, the driver of the No. 42 car, following the incident. Montoya also spun Logano earlier in the season at the road course race in Sonoma. When the yellow flag waved on lap 202 following a blown engine on the No. 24 car, Logano showed Montoya his displeasure and forced him up the track and into the outside wall during the caution period. Both cars received significant damage and Logano once again brought his car to the garage. The Home Depot Team realized it would not be able to repair the car safely enough to get it back on the track and finished the day in the 39th position.

“I try and show people respect on the track, but that’s the second time he’s done that to me this year,” said Logano. “It was time to stand up for myself and this team. We will be able to put this race behind us, focus on the positives and look forward to 2011.”

Logano’s teammate Hamlin finished the race in the 14th position and second in the championship standings while Kyle Busch was wrecked in the race by the No. 29 car of Kevin Harvick and scored in the 32nd position when the checkered flag waved. The Home Depot Team will now prepare for the 2011 season over the next two months and hit the track again in February for the Daytona 500.

Ford 400 Practice Results

Ford 400 Qualifying Results

Joey Logano qualified 19th and was the highest qualifying Joe Gibbs Racing car, Kyle Busch qualified 33rd, and Denny Hamlin 37th.

Interview After Qualifying

Ford 400 Race Results

Joey Logano Ford 400 Photos