Joey Logano and The Home Depot Team still had a mathematical chance of making The Chase for the Sprint Cup heading into Richmond International Raceway, unfortunately a blown engine at lap 296 of the 400-lap event took them out of contention. Logano was scored 35th when the checkered flag fell and dropped four spots in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings to 22nd.

“Something internal happened in the engine, that’s for sure,” said Logano. “We weren’t real fast with our Home Depot Toyota. I thought we were going to be a lot better in this race. We’d take off really good for a few laps and then the car just got tight. I thought we were at least going to hang in there for probably a top-15 finish. I just felt the last 20 laps something broke internal and it was running down a cylinder and then eventually it just blew up there under the caution. It’s unfortunate that’s the way it’s going to end here.”

The pre-race ceremony honoring the military and a tribute to the 10 year anniversary of 9/11 was extremely patriotic and got the fans and teams fired up for the race. Logano’s Home Depot Toyota, carrying the Celebration of Service logo, lined up 16th for the start of the event. Five of the 15 caution flags that plagued the Wonderful Pistachios 400 waved within the first 50 laps. Logano’s Home Depot Toyota was tight in the center of the corners and loose off and he dropped back to 22nd on lap 43. The crew worked on the car during several of the caution flags to help the handling of car.

Crew chief Greg Zipadelli tried to get Logano track position when the caution flag waved on lap 51 so he told his driver to remain on the track as most of the leaders pitted for the first time in the race. Racing resumed on lap 61 with the No. 20 Toyota Camry in the fourth position. Logano lost several spots when the green flag waved trying to get to the bottom and preferred racing lane. Eventually the cars with new tires caught up and he had dropped back to 20th when the caution flag waved on lap 116.

Logano brought The Home Depot Toyota down pit road to the attention of his crew to work to free up the chassis with adjustments so he could turn better in the corners. Unfortunately, the condition continued to be an issue for the team and Logano ran around the 20th position for the next 100 laps. Teams began making green flag pit stops on lap 242, but contact between the No. 48 and No. 22 cars brought out the caution flag just three laps later. Logano had yet to pit and again brought the car down pit road for adjustments. Several cars were caught a lap down so Logano started from the 15th position on lap 253. Unfortunately 25 laps later Logano reported the car was down a cylinder and on lap 296 it finally broke.

Logano was scored 35th when the checkered flag waved while his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin finished sixth and ninth respectively. Logano and The Home Depot Team head to Chicagoland Speedway next weekend for the Geico 400. The race will be broadcast on ESPN television and MRN Radio on Sunday, Sept. 18 at 2 p.m. ET.

Joey Logano Wonderful Pistachios 400 Photos

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