Logano, 19, was startled and later called it the "wildest ride" that he's ever been on.
Logano, a rookie in the series, got turned sideways entering turn 3 at the 1-mile oval, slid up the track, collected three other cars and suddenly started barrel-rolling down the corner. The No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing machine rolled over violently seven times before coming to a stop at the apron of the corner.
"It just startled me," said Logano. "That was the wildest ride I've ever been on. You can't go on a roller coaster any wilder than that."
The incident started in the middle of the pack on the first lap after a restart on Lap 30. Logano was running on the inside line on the backstretch when Bobby Labonte in the No. 96 tried to fill a hole between Logano and Dale Earnhardt Jr. The No. 96 clipped Logano's nose.
As Logano backed off, Tony Stewart bumped the No. 20 from behind and spun Logano sideways to the inside of the track. Logano's momentum shot the No. 20 back up on to the track in turn three where he collected Reed Sorenson, Martin Truex Jr. and Robby Gordon. Logano's car was hit broadside by Sorenson, forcing it on to its side and then into seven door-over-door flips.
"It started rolling and I was like, 'Please make this stop,'" Logano said. "It just shows how safe these cars are."
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DOVER, DE - SEPTEMBER 27: A detail of the signature of Jimmie Johnson is seen on the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet in victory lane as Johnson celebrated his win in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on September 27, 2009 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Jimmie Johnson
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DOVER, DE - SEPTEMBER 27: Jimmie Johnson (L of trophy), driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, celebrates with his crew including crew chief Chad Knaus (R of trophy) in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on September 27, 2009 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Jimmie Johnson;Chad Knaus
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DOVER, DE - SEPTEMBER 27: Jimmie Johnson (L of trophy), driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, celebrates with his crew including crew chief Chad Knaus (R of trophy) in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on September 27, 2009 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Jimmie Johnson;Chad Knaus
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DOVER, DE - SEPTEMBER 27: Jimmie Johnson (L) driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, celebrates with a crew member in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on September 27, 2009 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Jimmie Johnson
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DOVER, DE - SEPTEMBER 27: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, celebrates with the trophy in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on September 27, 2009 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Jimmie Johnson
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DOVER, DE - SEPTEMBER 27: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, celebrates with the trophy in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on September 27, 2009 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Jimmie Johnson
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DOVER, DE - SEPTEMBER 27: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on September 27, 2009 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Jimmie Johnson
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DOVER, DE - SEPTEMBER 27: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on September 27, 2009 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Jimmie Johnson
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DOVER, DE - SEPTEMBER 27: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway on September 27, 2009 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Jimmie Johnson
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NASCAR drivers race during the AAA 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2009, at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
AP
Logano's car came to a rest on its side before falling back onto its wheels at the bottom of Dover's banked corners between turns 3 and 4. Safety crews immediately arrived at his mangled race car as NASCAR put the red flag out to halt all on-track action.
"I'm glad Joey is OK," Robby Gordon said after the incident. "I remember being stopped there and looking and watching it flipping and flipping and flipping."
Stewart, who raced Logano's No. 20 just last season, seemed to feel pretty sick about the incident when he was interviewed over his in-car radio by the ESPN booth.
"I wish I would have saw that coming," said Stewart. "I don't know how to say sorry enough to Joey."
Fortunately, Logano's wreck is exactly the type of crash that a NASCAR Sprint Cup race car is designed to handle. The car has a solid roll cage built under the body and is designed to tear away parts during an impact -- decreasing the amount for force felt by the driver.
Logano's car never came to a complete halt -- the worst type of wreck in NASCAR -- and instead dissipated energy with every roll. The restraint system inside the car also aided Logano by holding his body and head in place and not allowing them to flop around as the car turned over.
Logano earned his first-career Sprint Cup win earlier this season in a rain-shortened race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway to become the youngest winner in Sprint Cup history.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
9-27-2009 @ 4:43PM
anzajoe said...
GOES TO SHOW TO THE FANS OF F-1 and INDY how safe the nazcar vehicles are compare to the SUICIDAL RACING DUNEBUGGY OF F-1 and INDY.
DOVER also showing HOW POOR AND INCOMPETENT ESPN ON ABC NAZCAR REPORTING IS once again.
JOEY LOG IN20 ROLLED REPEATEDLY FOR 15 TIMES, NOT 7 TIMES AS ESPN REPORTS and this pages COPYCAT ABOVE. I counted the ROLLOVERS 3 TIMES NOT ONCE.
WHERE IS NBC?
Works not for me..... nzcr14 said so.lol.
Reply
9-27-2009 @ 6:18PM
arookie said...
anzajoe......Learn how to count. You can clearly see in the slow motion replay that the car rolls 7 times then an additional 1/4 roll landing on its side.
The booth called ot right.
9-27-2009 @ 10:45PM
ronbrown said...
Looked like seven (7) time roll to me...
9-27-2009 @ 11:23PM
kmccul8684 said...
I just returned home from the race. I was sitting at turn 2. He only rolled 7 times.
9-27-2009 @ 11:30PM
anzajoe said...
Yes 7 and 1/2 rolls RON PAUL i WAS JUST TRYING TO AGITATE THE NUMEROLOGYSTES,LOL. OH, and it's 7 and 1/4 rollovers for some other posters.
eITHER NUMBER..... Works for me...
9-28-2009 @ 8:34AM
obamaizamarxist said...
Stewart punted him..
9-27-2009 @ 4:56PM
nzcr14said said...
OOPS GREAT NEWS;STEWART JUST ENTERED THE TOP10 and JJ leading.THE REAL RACING NOW BEGINS.GO GET JIMMY, NOW TONY.GOT TO GO. ciao, ciao, works for me..
Reply
9-27-2009 @ 5:17PM
al said...
wow what a ride i wouldn't like to take just glad hes ok
Reply
9-27-2009 @ 5:19PM
sdh4194 said...
awww... poor little joey. he must have run out of talent.
Reply
9-27-2009 @ 8:42PM
petra mike kayla said...
That kid has a tremendous amount of talent and will definately be one to watch. Your smart ass comment makes you seem jealous and childish.
9-28-2009 @ 5:02AM
scjr7 said...
Has nothing to do with talent. He was hit from behind, his momentum carried him back into traffic and the rolls began. It was a racing accident, pure and simple, not a question of talent or a lack thereof. I'd like to see you take the same kind of hit and walk away.
9-27-2009 @ 6:16PM
illsell4u said...
Wow what a wreck. Glad he is OK and what a testament to the safety of the cars. While many of us have complained about the aerodynamic problems with the car there is no doubt it is very safe.
Once again Tony Stewart proves what a class act he has become by expression concern for his young replacement after the crash.
mbl
by the way Anna, I nailed it didn't I?
Reply
9-27-2009 @ 6:28PM
jdcrum58 said...
Anzajoe I'm with arookie if you count complete rolls it is 7 and then he lands on his side...15 is a long cry from 7...I am just amazed at how he got out of the car walking...GREAT...
Keep it up Mark Martin!
Reply
9-27-2009 @ 6:53PM
nsarmento said...
I'm so glad Joey is OK...I just have a soft spot for the kid and it was a scary wreck! Congrats to Jimmy Johnson...I was rooting for the Old Man but heck, he can't win 'em all!
Reply
9-27-2009 @ 7:28PM
RAY LEONARD!! said...
Stewart again shows the real reason and known lack of talent that Joe Gibbs dealt with, Great Job {SMOKE}HA HA HA~!!!
Reply
9-28-2009 @ 7:30AM
sara said...
joe l. i disagree with your comment. you can place the blame on tony, but it wasn't his fault. it was a racing accident and joey got sandwiched between 2 cars. bobby labontes spotter told him he was clear to move down and yet he wasn't...that lead to joey checking up. there was no way for tony to know or predict what was happening right in front of him. he had no time to be able to react. they were racing so close. if it was anyones fault...blame the spotter for bobby. i like all of them, and do not say it was driver error, but all the events with this accident occured due to spotter error. bobby even said over his radio " man, you told me i was clear to go to the bottom. so, i went to the bottom and i wasn't clear".
it was a plain and simple racing accident...no driver is at fault. just thank god, joey is ok and was able to walk away from this one.
9-27-2009 @ 8:26PM
anzajoe said...
I was just trying to rock the boat guys.7 1/2 times was the rolling, i know. However ROOKIE, I rather taking spelling lessons thsn math ones.I'm pretty good at math.
Post ya teaching site please.
YEAP DEAR YOU DID NAIL IT.He should do the entire nation a favor by retiring.And stewart?not a looser finish today but defenetely another POOR finish considering it's the chase crap last 8 shows.I always said mike off the wheels he is your best friend and a very generous person and this was in his lucifer days.Of course as an HMS
satellite it now saint tony or robodrivers for some, lol.GLAD JOEY LOG NUTS IS OK AND CONGRATULATION TO SAINT JIMMY. I bet veronica and kim are very happy cookies today.works for me....
anna.
Reply
9-27-2009 @ 8:49PM
nascarguy51139 said...
The car flipped 7 times, and then a half before it rolled back that half onto its wheels. i didn't see the crash, but saw the replay a few times. I did catch the last 120 laps tho.....
Reply
9-27-2009 @ 8:57PM
calientemami3800 said...
thanks god hes still alive .god bless him.myson work at home deport in dove
Reply
9-27-2009 @ 9:02PM
dougbug25 said...
That writer who cant spell Nascar just cant accept the fact that F-1 drivers know how to turn left and right and are better drivers who havent had a death in their sport since 1993.I think Nascar has had three since then.Safer cars? Not really.
Reply