Debbie Powers
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Joey Logano Starts off 2020 with a Victory in the First Duel.
February 14, 2020
Starting 6th in the Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1 at Daytona, Joey Logano drove into Victory Lane in the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang after leading 19 laps and scoring 10 points, guaranteeing him the third starting position in the Daytona 500 on Sunday, where he'll be looking for that second win!
Working in the outside line with multiple Ford Performance teammates, Logano stayed inside the top-10 during side-by-side opening laps. When the top lane began to show their strength on the tenth lap, Logano moved into the top-five.
Logano reported the Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang was good for the most part during the opening run, with handling only slightly free. 24 laps into the run, Logano reported the car had started "four-wheel skating," The Ford competitors chose to remain on the track as the Chevy and Toyota cars hit pit road, in an effort to make speed, and put distance over the other cars.
When the Ford competitors started entering pit road on lap 29, a multi-vehicle incident occurred; the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil crew chose to pit for four tires and an air-pressure adjustment to provide stability for Logano's final laps, and pitted from fourth position.
Logano re-started fourth, and with a push from the No. 10 Ford of Aric Almirola, quickly gained the lead! When the field began shuffling, Logano took the bottom line, with the top six cars all being Fords.
Using the drafting help from Almirola, Logano maintained his lead and was able to claim victory at the end of the first event.
This Duels qualifying victory is the second consecutive one for Logano, as he won the second Duel in 2019 with a last-lap pass!
Logano said of the night..."We had a really good Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang tonight. TJ (Majors) did a great job spotting and keeping ahead of who had the runs and when we needed to change lanes. Aric Almirola really helped us get to Victory Lane, his pushes late in the race were critical to keeping us out front. It's great to get a win this early in the year with this group and build some momentum heading into the Daytona 500 Sunday,"
As you will recall, Team Penske made changes before the season starting, and Joey now has the former 2 crew and a new crew chief, Paul Wolfe, but TJ Majors, his spotter, remains with him. Logano has run seven Daytona 500's with Team Penske, and won in 2015! His best qualifying position to date was fourth in 2019, and he also qualified first in the July race last year.
Worth noting: Logano will make his 400th career start in the 2020 Daytona 500, the youngest driver to reach that mark!
Will he celebrate by pulling into Victory Lane again? Watch and see Sunday, Feb 16th @ 2:30 pm (ET) on Fox!
Follow and chat with me here:
@DebbiePowers11
Photo Credit : Don Charest
February 14, 2020
Starting 6th in the Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1 at Daytona, Joey Logano drove into Victory Lane in the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang after leading 19 laps and scoring 10 points, guaranteeing him the third starting position in the Daytona 500 on Sunday, where he'll be looking for that second win!
Working in the outside line with multiple Ford Performance teammates, Logano stayed inside the top-10 during side-by-side opening laps. When the top lane began to show their strength on the tenth lap, Logano moved into the top-five.
Logano reported the Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang was good for the most part during the opening run, with handling only slightly free. 24 laps into the run, Logano reported the car had started "four-wheel skating," The Ford competitors chose to remain on the track as the Chevy and Toyota cars hit pit road, in an effort to make speed, and put distance over the other cars.
When the Ford competitors started entering pit road on lap 29, a multi-vehicle incident occurred; the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil crew chose to pit for four tires and an air-pressure adjustment to provide stability for Logano's final laps, and pitted from fourth position.
Logano re-started fourth, and with a push from the No. 10 Ford of Aric Almirola, quickly gained the lead! When the field began shuffling, Logano took the bottom line, with the top six cars all being Fords.
Using the drafting help from Almirola, Logano maintained his lead and was able to claim victory at the end of the first event.
This Duels qualifying victory is the second consecutive one for Logano, as he won the second Duel in 2019 with a last-lap pass!
Logano said of the night..."We had a really good Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang tonight. TJ (Majors) did a great job spotting and keeping ahead of who had the runs and when we needed to change lanes. Aric Almirola really helped us get to Victory Lane, his pushes late in the race were critical to keeping us out front. It's great to get a win this early in the year with this group and build some momentum heading into the Daytona 500 Sunday,"
As you will recall, Team Penske made changes before the season starting, and Joey now has the former 2 crew and a new crew chief, Paul Wolfe, but TJ Majors, his spotter, remains with him. Logano has run seven Daytona 500's with Team Penske, and won in 2015! His best qualifying position to date was fourth in 2019, and he also qualified first in the July race last year.
Worth noting: Logano will make his 400th career start in the 2020 Daytona 500, the youngest driver to reach that mark!
Will he celebrate by pulling into Victory Lane again? Watch and see Sunday, Feb 16th @ 2:30 pm (ET) on Fox!
Follow and chat with me here:
@DebbiePowers11
Photo Credit : Don Charest
NASCAR stars aren't the only essential drivers for races...
January 30, 2020
Ever wonder what goes into getting your favorite driver's car track to track?
I reached out and got some answers!
"On the road" begins with a schedule of who first driver will be, as well as when they need to pull out to get to their destination on time...and after a race, a first driver has to have been "off" for ten hours, which means either they go to sleep in the hauler or stay at a hotel while the other driver works the race.
If "their driver" wins the race, it delays leaving the track a little, with Victory Lane and tech factored in...and, of course, there's that "win" satisfaction they leave with! (Am sure it is much preferred over leaving earlier because the car is "history")...
Days on the road depend on the season's schedule;
they typically travel 40k-45k miles per season.
What happens when they do a "West Coast swing?"
This is a logistical juggling act, with some teams electing to go back home between races and others bringing cars and parts out in between races, then taking previous weeks race stuff back to the shop.
And how's that time adjustment (internal clock) from one coast to another?
Basically, it takes some getting used to, but after doing it awhile it can become fairly easy.
These guys stay in shape too!
Gotta be on your game to take care of your rig and responsibilities week to week; that doesn't just end with parking the trucks in the garages or shops! Besides their duties at the track, between races, there's general maintenance, and they clean, and get groceries. See how those rigs shine? Drivers take great pride in keeping them clean, polished, and organized!
They also have a hauler driver competition, where DOT (Department of Transportation) knowledge and obstacle course challenges are conquered by the best of the best!
Think you want to drive for a team?
Make sure you prepare yourself with the understanding that home time is a premium! If you can't be away from your wife/partner, kids, pets, etc... for long periods of time repeatedly, it's probably not the job for you...
And an aside...these guys are some of the nicest people you will meet in the garage...
Follow and chat with me here:
@DebbiePowers11
SHOP HERE for your new 2020 NASCAR gear!!
Photo credit: Judy Fredricks
NASCAR stars aren't the only essential drivers for races...
January 30, 2020
Ever wonder what goes into getting your favorite driver's car track to track?
I reached out and got some answers!
"On the road" begins with a schedule of who first driver will be, as well as when they need to pull out to get to their destination on time...and after a race, a first driver has to have been "off" for ten hours, which means either they go to sleep in the hauler or stay at a hotel while the other driver works the race.
If "their driver" wins the race, it delays leaving the track a little, with Victory Lane and tech factored in...and, of course, there's that "win" satisfaction they leave with! (Am sure it is much preferred over leaving earlier because the car is "history")...
Days on the road depend on the season's schedule;
they typically travel 40k-45k miles per season.
What happens when they do a "West Coast swing?"
This is a logistical juggling act, with some teams electing to go back home between races and others bringing cars and parts out in between races, then taking previous weeks race stuff back to the shop.
And how's that time adjustment (internal clock) from one coast to another?
Basically, it takes some getting used to, but after doing it awhile it can become fairly easy.
These guys stay in shape too!
Gotta be on your game to take care of your rig and responsibilities week to week; that doesn't just end with parking the trucks in the garages or shops! Besides their duties at the track, between races, there's general maintenance, and they clean, and get groceries. See how those rigs shine? Drivers take great pride in keeping them clean, polished, and organized!
They also have a hauler driver competition, where DOT (Department of Transportation) knowledge and obstacle course challenges are conquered by the best of the best!
Think you want to drive for a team?
Make sure you prepare yourself with the understanding that home time is a premium! If you can't be away from your wife/partner, kids, pets, etc... for long periods of time repeatedly, it's probably not the job for you...
And an aside...these guys are some of the nicest people you will meet in the garage...
Follow and chat with me here:
@DebbiePowers11
SHOP HERE for your new 2020 NASCAR gear!!
Photo credit: Judy Fredricks
"License Plate Merry" recaps her "every track" 2019 Bucket List Trip
January 27, 2020
Merry Mendoza is a dedicated NASCAR fan, originally following her favorite driver, Dale Earnhardt, then his son, Dale, Jr; when Jr retired, she was looking for a new driver and liked Joey Logano, for many reasons, one of them being her son looks just like him! She also admires his positive attitude, driving style, fan-friendliness, and his dedication to giving back.
When Merry decided to retire from her position at Folsom Prison, one of the main items on her "bucket list" was to go to every Cup race during a single season! She began buying tickets, planning her trips, and eventually let her apartment go, putting everything in storage, and voila! Off she went!
Merry met some amazing people during her season-long adventure, some at the tracks, some in her accommodations, and some in her explorations of local sites, like the lovely couple in Dawnsonville, Georgia who welcomed her into their home and made sure she got to see the Pool Room!
She visited old prison sites, cemeteries, and lighthouses, and saw as many covered bridges as possible, all interests she has cultivated. She also visited historical sites, such as Mt. Vernon, and then did fun things like blowing glass, getting an unexpected tattoo, and visiting NASCAR museums.
Of course, it wouldn't have been the trip of a lifetime without misplacing her keys, needing oil changes, and getting tire rotations during the 42,000 miles she put on her car (she flew three times or that number would have been significantly higher)!
When asked about her favorite memory, of course, it was a "Joey" moment; she was leaving the track in Phoenix and when stopped, consulting her GPS to see which way to turn once she got off-site, she heard " nice plates" but didn't see who said it. When she had to stop, as you do getting out of tracks, she heard it again, and, this time, looking up right away, was amazed to see Joey and Brittany next to her and laughing at her astounded expression! (Her license plates read "Joey22" in the Pennzoil color scheme. (She had them placed on her car at the time, as was way more budget-friendly than her truck).
When an autograph session came up soon after, Merry made sure she took her plates to have Joey sign, and eventually was dubbed "License Plate Merry" by the PR guy! Merry was able to meet her favorite driver several times over the season, and eventually, he would recognize her, and was always positive about her doing the whole circuit! She also was able to meet Brittany, his lovely wife, whom she liked very much!
Merry met people from Switzerland, Canada, and of course from all over the USA! She made a lot of new friends for life, and she also met Dale, Jr, and Roger Penske ( that was her "who'd have thought" meet lol)!
When asked if she would have any advice for someone who wanted to travel track to track, her response was "Just DO it!" She says to be prepared to change your oil and rotate your tires a lot...also, she recommends staying at Airbnbs because it was a big part of her fun! She would definitely get to the tracks early, make new friends, and she would not change ANYTHING!
"This trip was better than I ever dreamed it would be...I never imagined I would have seen all the places I saw and enjoy all of the people I met, especially Joey, my new friend..."
Merry had plans to attend Fontana and Phoenix this year, and then a friend she met last year surprised her with tickets to Daytona so she booked her flight and can't wait to go!
Asked about future travels, Merry says she would like to explore the West Coast up through Washington, and then also see Idaho, Wyoming, etc... as she hasn't had that opportunity yet...something tells me it won't be long!
Follow and chat with me here:
@DebbiePowers11
SHOP HERE for your new 2020 NASCAR gear!!
January 27, 2020
Merry Mendoza is a dedicated NASCAR fan, originally following her favorite driver, Dale Earnhardt, then his son, Dale, Jr; when Jr retired, she was looking for a new driver and liked Joey Logano, for many reasons, one of them being her son looks just like him! She also admires his positive attitude, driving style, fan-friendliness, and his dedication to giving back.
When Merry decided to retire from her position at Folsom Prison, one of the main items on her "bucket list" was to go to every Cup race during a single season! She began buying tickets, planning her trips, and eventually let her apartment go, putting everything in storage, and voila! Off she went!
Merry met some amazing people during her season-long adventure, some at the tracks, some in her accommodations, and some in her explorations of local sites, like the lovely couple in Dawnsonville, Georgia who welcomed her into their home and made sure she got to see the Pool Room!
She visited old prison sites, cemeteries, and lighthouses, and saw as many covered bridges as possible, all interests she has cultivated. She also visited historical sites, such as Mt. Vernon, and then did fun things like blowing glass, getting an unexpected tattoo, and visiting NASCAR museums.
Of course, it wouldn't have been the trip of a lifetime without misplacing her keys, needing oil changes, and getting tire rotations during the 42,000 miles she put on her car (she flew three times or that number would have been significantly higher)!
When asked about her favorite memory, of course, it was a "Joey" moment; she was leaving the track in Phoenix and when stopped, consulting her GPS to see which way to turn once she got off-site, she heard " nice plates" but didn't see who said it. When she had to stop, as you do getting out of tracks, she heard it again, and, this time, looking up right away, was amazed to see Joey and Brittany next to her and laughing at her astounded expression! (Her license plates read "Joey22" in the Pennzoil color scheme. (She had them placed on her car at the time, as was way more budget-friendly than her truck).
When an autograph session came up soon after, Merry made sure she took her plates to have Joey sign, and eventually was dubbed "License Plate Merry" by the PR guy! Merry was able to meet her favorite driver several times over the season, and eventually, he would recognize her, and was always positive about her doing the whole circuit! She also was able to meet Brittany, his lovely wife, whom she liked very much!
Merry met people from Switzerland, Canada, and of course from all over the USA! She made a lot of new friends for life, and she also met Dale, Jr, and Roger Penske ( that was her "who'd have thought" meet lol)!
When asked if she would have any advice for someone who wanted to travel track to track, her response was "Just DO it!" She says to be prepared to change your oil and rotate your tires a lot...also, she recommends staying at Airbnbs because it was a big part of her fun! She would definitely get to the tracks early, make new friends, and she would not change ANYTHING!
"This trip was better than I ever dreamed it would be...I never imagined I would have seen all the places I saw and enjoy all of the people I met, especially Joey, my new friend..."
Merry had plans to attend Fontana and Phoenix this year, and then a friend she met last year surprised her with tickets to Daytona so she booked her flight and can't wait to go!
Asked about future travels, Merry says she would like to explore the West Coast up through Washington, and then also see Idaho, Wyoming, etc... as she hasn't had that opportunity yet...something tells me it won't be long!
Follow and chat with me here:
@DebbiePowers11
SHOP HERE for your new 2020 NASCAR gear!!
