(By Greg Engle)
Posted: Sunday,June 28th, 2009
Rookie Joey Logano benefited from Mother Nature Sunday winning the rain shortened Lenox 301 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Sunday.
Logano in his first full year driving in the Sprint Cup Series with Joe Gibbs Racing became the youngest driver to ever score a win in NASCAR’s top series at age at 19 years, 1 month, and 4 days.
Jimmie Johnson led 95 of the 273 laps run under mostly cloudy skies that threatened rain most of the afternoon. Jeff Gordon led 65 and Tony Stewart led 40. It was that trio along with Kurt Busch who battled most of an event that saw 11 cautions and one red flag period to clean up after a multi-car crash on lap175 triggered when Martin Truex Jr. was tapped from behind by Kyle Busch on a restart. Jamie McMurray, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, Casey Mears, David Reutimann, Brian Vickers and David Ragan were all involved.
LOUDON, NH - JUNE 28: Joey Logano, driver of the #20 Home Depot Toyota, rides on his rims down pit road after an incident during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series LENOX Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on June 28, 2009 in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Drew Hallowell/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Logano himself was the cause of the ninth caution when he blew a rear tire on lap 186 and spun.
It was crew chief Greg Zipadelli’s call during a late race cycle of green flag pit stops to keep Logano out however that led to the win. The yellow for rain came out on lap 266 and after a few tense moments under the yellow flag Logano led field to the end of pit road and the red flag on lap 273. As the rain picked up NASCAR, called the race shortly after and declared Logano the winner.
Jeff Gordon was second Kurt Busch third, David Reutimann fourth and Tony Stewart rounded out the top five.
Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Sam Hornish Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne completed the top-10.
In the drivers points Tony Stewart now leads Jeff Gordon by 69 markers heading to Daytona next weekend.
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