Toyota Of Wallingford

WALLINGFORD - About 600 fans turned out at Wallingford Toyota Wednesday to meet rising NASCAR star Joey Logano, a Middletown native.

A crowd of about 50 had assembled at 5:30, a half-hour before Logano's arrival, at the 895 N. Colony Road dealership. By 7:30, a half-hour before Logano was scheduled to leave, the line stretched past the dealership's service department.

Logano maintained a cheerful demeanor throughout, politely thanking his fans as they left.

When Logano posed for a picture with a young woman who appeared to be about his age, the sight drew cries of "Easy, Joey" from the crowd, causing Logano to blush slightly.

Fans also joked about Logano's altercation with fellow driver Kevin Harvick near the end of the Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500 at Pocono Raceway on June 6.

The drivers' feud began when Logano, angry at Harvick for pushing him out of the way as the two battled near the lead with only a lap remaining, charged toward Harvick's pit box, jumped out of his car, and had to be restrained by members of Harvick's crew.

Afterward, Harvick publicly accused Logano's father, Tom, of being too protective and too involved with his son's racing career. Logano retorted with a similar comment directed at Harvick's wife, DeLana.

Logano joked about the encounter, saying that his battle with Harvick had caused "the biggest fan increase I ever got."

"I'm over it. I'm moving on," Logano said. "He (Harvick) may not be, but I am."

John Nomakeo, of West Springfield, Mass., was the first person waiting outside of Wallingford Toyota, arriving at 1:30 p.m. His patience paid off. He was able to have his diecast model of Logano's rookie of the year car signed.

"I just got it Monday," said Nomakeo of his replica, No. 73 of only 200 produced. "I have all of his cars."

Nomakeo said Logano has signed every one of his models. "I'm just waiting for him to come out with different die-cast cars so I can get them signed," he added.

Kristy Uhlan, of Wallingford, was another early arrival. "It's pretty neat to have someone from our own state be a driver," she said

Several of Logano's old friends from his days of racing at the Meriden's Silver City Quarter Midget Club's track at 835 Hanover Road joined his entourage for the signing.

Wallingford Toyota owner Steve Zion, who donated money to repair damage to the Quarter Midget track when Logano was racing there in the early 1990s, was by his side throughout the event, along with David Goduti, a sales representative at Wallingford Toyota, whose children Melissa, now 26, and David, now 24, raced with Logano at Silver City.

Goduti said that, in 1998, when Logano was only 8, Goduti's father, Rocco, proclaimed that Logano would be a NASCAR driver by his 18th birthday.

David Goduti had only good things to say about Logano's attitude.

"He's a down-to-earth kid," he said.

Goduti said he admires Logano's talent and believes he will one day achieve a level of NASCAR stardom comparable to Jeff Gordon's.

"He can drive anything. This kid, he's good," Goduti said.

Many of his fans wished Logano luck in his next race, the Lenox Industrial Tools 301, a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race Sunday in Loudon, N.H.

The race marks an important milestone for Logano. He won last year's race, his first victory in NASCAR's top series.

http://www.myrecordjournal.com/sports/article_2b43a78e-7f41-11df-9cac-001cc4c03286.html

Above Joey signs a young fans 1/4 midget car. Joey started his racing career at silvercity in Meriden.

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