This could very well be a first for NASCAR -- and it's not good.
Joey Logano is being forced to sit out the entire practice at New Hampshire because his car couldn't get through tech, ESPN's Bob Pockrass reported in a tweet.
Among practice holds for today, Logano will miss entire 50-minute final practice. He never made qualifying run b/c never got thru tech.
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) September 23, 2017
The news us so stunning it caused Dale Earnhardt Jr. to ask:
This the 1st time a team was held from final practice entirely? Can?t recall that ever happening. https://t.co/LQcxzpguCW
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) September 23, 2017
And the answers is, apparently, yes:
As far as I know. And NASCAR is going to make Logano sit on pit road for the entire practice. https://t.co/PRst1PbYfO
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) September 23, 2017
To make matter worse, Logano will start last on Sunday.
So is why this is so important.
There have already been two wrecks during practice at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and a new traction compound could be to blame for drivers being uncomfortable -- and now Logano won't have a chance to test the track before the race,
Officials added two strips of PJ1 Trackbite (VHT) above and below the racing groove in hopes that drivers will race side-by-side more frequently at Sunday's Overton's 301. Jimmie Johnson and Chase Elliott have already wrecked during practice.
According to Auto Week, Aric Almirola said he's already noticed a difference at the track.
"It certainly moved the typical racing lane around from what we typically see here," Almirola said. "It has been sort of a new race track so to speak. We typically run in that second lane off the yellow line and we usually dread getting up over that seam. If you look back at video of the races here, all the cars try to keep the right sides inside that seam.
"Now that third lane has the PJ1 in it and you see a lot of cars entering in that lane, straddling that seam and it certainly has thrown everybody a new race track here. I think it is going to change sort of the way we approach the race track and way we attack the corners."
Related: A second Hendrick car wrecks in what is turning out to be a treacherous NHMS practice
VHT was also used at Bristol Motor Speedway, and it garnered positive results from most drivers. However, it didn't receive very positive results at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Logano was one of the drivers who was hopeful that it will work since New Hampshire usually produces single-file racing. He said it's a positive sign that NASCAR officials are willing to give it a try.
The concept behind the idea was that it would help drivers, but it's seemingly having the opposite effect so far. At the very least, it will add excitement and uncertainty to Sunday's race since drivers won't be necessarily comfortable with the conditions.