He ended up completing just three laps and finished last.
Logano was involved in a six-car wreck early in the 75-lap event, hardly the kind of practice he wanted -- or maybe needed -- in his first Sprint Cup event at NASCAR's most famous track.
Logano did learn something, though: Being in the back of the pack can lead to disaster.
"It is tough," said Logano, an 18-year-old rising star at Joe Gibbs Racing who is replacing two-time NASCAR champion Tony Stewart in the No. 20 Toyota. "You start in the back and then it's kind of what happens. ... It stinks. It's still early. What are you supposed to do? Nowhere to go in that situation. I didn't learn much at all. We tried hard, though."
Logano tried hard to sneak by on the inside after Robby Gordon and David Ragan got together and started the crash. But fellow rookie Scott Speed clipped Logano's rear fender, turning him sideways and sending him sliding into the wall.
Logano's problem really began in the ARCA race earlier in the night. Logano finished second in the crash-filled, caution-slowed event and missed NASCAR's mandatory driver meeting before the Shootout. His punishment was having to start at the back of the 28-car field -- right in front of the accident.
Logano jumped out of his ARCA car and started running to the driver meeting, but showed up right at the end. Even though fellow drivers felt he should have been allowed to keep his 19th starting spot in the Shootout, NASCAR enforced the standard penalty.
"Not much you can do about that," Logano said. "We tried. I got out and started running, but did not make it in time. It was not like we were starting on the pole. If we were, it would have been bad."
Logano's plan was to sit back and get a feel for the car and competition, then try to make a move and mix it up with all of NASCAR's big boys. He didn't stick around long enough to get a taste, though.
"I really didn't get a chance to mix it up with 'em yet," he said.
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FAST BILL: Two-time Daytona 500 winner Bill Elliott might be on the verge of a revival at NASCAR's most storied track.
Elliott, who last won the 500 in 1987, was the fastest of the 57 drivers in both practices Saturday. Elliott reached 187.950 mph on the 21/2-mile superspeedway, just ahead of Martin Truex Jr., Bobby Labonte and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Elliott, though, wasn't quite ready to celebrate. He thought he had an equally strong car last year at Daytona, but burned a gear in one of the twin 150-mile qualifying races and didn't finish high enough to get into the season-opening race.
"You can't tell about this business," Elliott said. "Right now, we just need to beat the go-or-go-homers. That's where we need to concentrate and let the rest of it fall where it may. We've got to not make any mistakes and see what tomorrow brings."
Elliott, scheduled to drive nine events for Wood Brothers Racing this season, could make next week's qualifying races moot by claiming one of the top two spots in Sunday's pole qualifying.
"That would be nice, but I don't want to talk about that yet," car co-owner Lee Wood said. "If we just do what we're supposed to and not beat ourselves, we should be fine."
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OFFICIALS REMEMBERED: NASCAR remembered longtime officials Robert "Hoot" Arlin Auton and Carl Wolf on Saturday.
Auton died last Sunday. He was 75. Auton worked as a NASCAR official for 37 years, starting at short tracks in the Whelen All-American Series and eventually working his way to the Sprint Cup Series.
Auton's two sons also work for NASCAR. Wayne Auton is director of the Camping World Truck Series. Robert "Buster" Auton is the sport's director of transportation.
Wolf, who spent the past 10 years working for NASCAR in a variety of capacities, died Friday following a lengthy illness. He was 70.
Wolf started out as NASCAR's supervisor of engine inspection for the Cup series. He spent the last six years in officiating training.
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ROOKIE PERSONALITY: Scott Speed, who could duel with 18-year-old Joey Logano for rookie of the year honors in this year's Cup series, isn't shy.
The 26-year-old's personality is sometimes over the top, often demonstrated by his choice of clothing, the dyed white hair he sported for a while and, most of all, a penchant for saying exactly what's on his mind.
"I've definitely got in trouble once or twice for wearing inappropriate T-shirts in the garage," the Red Bull Racing driver said. "I still have them. I have one of them in the motorhome. I just have to use better judgment. It's a much different culture to be in the NASCAR Cup garage than in the Formula One paddock."
Another big difference between NASCAR and F1 for Speed is what he is allowed to do away from the track.
"I got myself a bunch of snowboarding gear," he said. "When I was racing in Formula One for Red Bull, I wasn't able to do any wakeboarding or snowboarding or any of that, contractually. Now, I can do what I want, so I got myself a snowboard and all the gear and I've been tearing it up on the mountains all winter. It's been awesome."
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SAID SPONSOR: Even in a tough economy, some drivers are finding new sponsors for the Daytona 500. Two days after David Reutimann announced a full-season sponsorship deal with Aaron's, road-course specialist Boris Said said ScottsMiracle-Gro and Carter/Simo Racing will be onboard his No. 08 Ford at Daytona.
Said's best finish in two Daytona 500s was 14th in 2007. He's had more success in the July race, starting three times in the top eight and finishing fourth in 2006.
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