Hard core race fans, remember this name: JOEY LOGANO. This 17 year old Connecticut native is setting the stock car racing world on fire!

This Joe Gibbs development driver was the talk of the garage before everything started at the famed Rockingham Speedway. And he will be the talk of every track he goes to. He is the real deal.

He was the fastest in practice on Friday (24.549-146.645). He repeated that speed on Saturday, taking the SIM Factory Pole Award for the ARCA RE/MAX CAROLINA 500. And in final practice, he was second fastest, with 142.908. When Tony Stewart dropped the green flag, for the stock car race at The Rock in four years, 50 competitors roared to life.

Almost immediately, Logano was 2-3 car lengths ahead of the field. On lap 3, he was running a 26 second lap, and started overtaking the field. A crash in turn 2, brought out the first caution on lap 10. Teams took advantage and pitted to make crucial adjustments.

The yellow flag came out 13 times, for 92 laps. Crashes took out seven competitors, while 10 of the racers were eliminated with a variety of ailments, from handling to engine problems. All afternoon, Logano put his Joe Gibbs Racing Oil Chevy through its paces. He didn’t miss a beat. Putting the car where it needed to be each and every time to overtake the car in front of him.

Winner, pole sitter, and first time ARCA RE/MAX rookie competitor, Joey Logano, “They definitely gave me a really good car. It got better and better, especially with the pit stops. I almost had the whole field down a lap… had a smile on my face for a long time. It was a good time. I had fun racing at The Rock…it is definitely one of my favorites, if not my favorite. I had fun, top to bottom, four out, found a place the car liked and just drove it in. The caution flew a little later than I would have liked.”

In post race interview Kenny Schrader said, “We would have loved to have won, but Joey ran hard and deserved to win. (We) didn’t have anything for Joey at the end. We had a second place car, I don’t even know if we were a second place car, but we were still second. We got the lead near the end. We put on new tires and Joey didn’t. I ran about 4 laps and saw what was coming and needed to get out of his way, cuz he was coming. We’re happy with it. I had forgotten how much fun this racetrack was. This is a fun race track.”

Third place RoushFenway.com Ford driver Rick Stenhouse, Jr. stated, “We started outside the front row. Had a good qualifying effort there. Thought a lot of those folks would have fallen out. Got caught up a lap down, and the distributor r went out. We flipped the switches. Guys on the pit crew kept digging and helped us get the Lucky dog, which helped us get a third.”

Fifty drivers started the field. Five finished on the lead lap, Joey Logano-winner, Ken Schrader, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Matt Hawkins, and Michael Annett.

Fifteen through twenty were: Chad McCumbee, Austin Dillon (Richard Childress’ grandson), Matt Carter, Tom Hessert, III, Frank Kimmel, Dexter Bean, John Wes Townley, Clay Rogers, Tayler Malsam, Alli Owens, Nick Tucker, Jeff Buice, Mike Harmon, Donny Keeley, and Kory Rabenold.

Race leaders were: Joey Logano, with 257 laps led, Michael Annett-17 laps, Matt Hawkins-25 laps, and Kenny Schrader with 13 laps.

The margin of victory was 4.164 seconds. The average speed was 95.380 mph. The first of many races back at The Rock was completed in just over three hours. It was great to hear the engines roar at The Rock again right here in Race Country USA!