The Home Depot Team and Joey Logano ran a solid race and recovered from being blocked in their pit stall to finish 11th at Phoenix International Raceway on Sunday. Logano started from the 25th position, worked his way up to 17th, dropped back to 24th after the pit road issue and rallied to finish just outside the top 10 when the checkered flag waved at lap 312.

“This was a good race for the team, man we needed it,” said Logano. “After the way the races have been going for us it feels good to have a solid effort from the entire Home Depot Team. The pit stops were great and Zippy (crew chief Greg Zipadelli) made really good changes all day. The car was tight in the center and on exit all day, but by the end it was definitely the best it had been all day and that’s what you hope for, to improve the car throughout the race and have it the best at the end.”

Logano was disappointed with the 25th starting spot despite being the top Joe Gibbs Racing qualifier for the 500-kilometer race at Phoenix. Teams worked hard to get a second racing groove worked in over the course of the weekend on the reconfigured and repaved track. However, rain washed away the efforts Sunday morning and teams were unsure what to expect from the track. NASCAR decided there would be a competition caution on lap 40 so teams could make adjustments on the car and check tire wear.

Logano told Zipadelli the car was loose in, tight in the center and really tight off the corner during the first run. When the caution waved on lap 40 he brought the car down pit road to the attention of The Home Depot crew for right-side tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment. The two-tire stop moved Logano from the 21st position to 16th for the restart on lap 46. Logano continued to run in the top 20 despite being looser into the corner and still tight from the center of the corner off. The yellow flag waved once again on lap 92 and Logano came down pit road for four tires and a chassis adjustment. Unfortunately the No. 16 car blocked Logano in his pit stall and he restarted from the 24th position on lap 97.

Logano was only able to pick up one spot on the track when green-flag pit stops began on lap 155. Good strategy and timing by Zipadelli gave the team a huge break when the caution waved on lap 158 and the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota had yet to hit pit road. Several cars were now caught a lap down. Logano pitted for tires, fuel and the removal of a spring rubber and restarted 13th on lap 163. Logano broke into the top 10 for the first time on lap 168, and was running 12th when the yellow flag waved on lap 220. The Home Depot crew had its best pit stop of the day and gained three positions on pit road to boost Logano up to ninth for the restart on lap 224.

Zipadelli told Logano they could not make it to the end on fuel and called Logano down pit road on lap 281 for left-side tires and ethanol. The race would continue caution free and when the checkered flag waved, Logano was scored in the 11th position. His Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin finished 12th while Kyle Busch lost an engine during the race to finish 36th. Logano remains 24th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver standings.

Logano and The Home Depot Team head to Homestead-Miami Speedway next weekend for the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season finale. The race airs on ESPN television and PRN radio with live racing coverage beginning at 3 p.m. ET.

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