Joey Logano

Infobox_NASCAR_driver
Name = Joseph Logano


Birthdate = birth date and age|1990|5|24
Birthplace = flagicon|Connecticut Middletown, Connecticut
Achievements = 2007 NASCAR Busch East Series Champion
Cup_Car_Team = #02 - Joe Gibbs Racing
#96 - Hall of Fame Racing
First_Cup_Race = 2008 Sylvania 300 (Loudon)
Busch_Car_Team = #20 - Joe Gibbs Racing
First_Busch_Race = 2008 Heluva Good! 200 (Dover)
First_Busch_Win = 2008 Meijer 300 (Kentucky)
Busch_Wins = 1
Busch_Top_Tens = 10
Busch_Poles = 2
Updated_On = October 3, 2008

Joseph "Joey" Logano (born May 24, 1990 in Middletown, Connecticut) nicknamed "sliced bread" from Randy LaJoie, [ [http://www.scenedaily.com/news/articles/nationwideseries/Young_phenom_Joey_Logano_ready_for_Nationwide_Series_NASCAR_spotlight.html SceneDaily.com: Young phenom Joey Logano ready for Nationwide Series] ] is an American race car driver, in NASCAR's Nationwide Series.

Logano's first major NASCAR win came during the Meijer 300 at Kentucky Speedway in just his third start in the 2008 Nationwide Series. Logano made history becoming the youngest driver to win a Nationwide Series race at 18 years, 21 days old, since Casey Atwood in 1999 at 18 years, 10 months, 9 days. [ [http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/headlines/bg/06/15/nationwide.kentucky.recap/index.html: Logano makes history as youngest Nationwide Series winner] ]

He currently drives the #20 GameStop Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Racing career

Early racing career

Logano began his racing career in 1996 as a 6-year-old quarter midget racer living in Connecticut. In 1997 Logano won his first Eastern Grand National Championship in the Jr. Stock Car Division. He followed it up with a Jr. Honda Division Championship in 1998 and in early 1999 a Lt. Mod. Division Championship. Later in 1999 Logano won 3 New England Regional Championships in the Sr. Stock, Lt. Mod., Lt. B. divisions.

Logano's family was then relocated in Georgia, to help better his sister's figure skating career. The transaction allowed Logano to win a Bandolero Bandits Series Championship. At age 10 he went on to racing Legend cars, where he set a 14-consecutive winning streak track record at Atlanta Motor Speedway, along with a Lions National Championship. At age 12, Logano won the Southeast-based Pro Legends National championship. Afterwards he spent a couple years racing various forms of pavement Late Model racing. [ [http://www.loganomotorsports.com/Files/HTM/Accomplishments/JoeAccomp.htm: Joey Logano early racing career records] ]

Veteran NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Mark Martin, who was driving for Roush at the time, called Joey Logano "the real deal". [http://www.joeyloganoracing.com/bio.html JoeyLoganoRacing.com: Biography] ] When Logano was 15, Martin said "I am high on Joey Logano because I am absolutely, 100-percent positive, without a doubt that he can be one of the greatest that ever raced in NASCAR. I'm positive. There's no doubt in mind." [http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news?slug=jh-logano102307&prov=yhoo&type=lgns "The next big thing"] ; October 23 2007; Jay Hart; Yahoo Sports; Retrieved October 25 2007]

In 2005, he ran in 1 FASCAR Pro Truck Series race at New Smyrna Speedway, started 1st and finished 2nd. He raced in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series, competing seven times in the Northern Division, and winning once at Mansfield, two Southern Division races, and five Championship Series races. [http://www.joeyloganoracing.com/bio.html JoeyLoganoRacing.com: Biography] ] The following season, he continued racing in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series. He raced in twelve Southern Division races, winning twice at South Georgia Motorsports Park and at USA International Speedway. He ran in one USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series, Northern Division race and six Championship Series races.

In 2007, a new NASCAR rule allowed drivers 16 and up to race in the Grand National Division, allowing Logano to compete in the series. He finished the 2007 Grand National season with 13 starts in Camping World East Series, winning 5 races, 3 poles, 10 Top 5's, and 10 Top 10's, and winning the championship with wins at Greenville-Pickens Speedway, Iowa Speedway, two wins at New Hampshire International Speedway, and Adirondack International Speedway. He also has made 1 NASCAR West Series start, started 2nd and won. On October 20, 2007, Logano won the Toyota All-Star Showdown at Irwindale Speedway, leading 87 laps and held off Peyton Sellers for the win.

On May 4, 2008, Logano won the Carolina 500 during his ARCA RE/MAX Series debut with Venturini Motorsports in racing's return to Rockingham Speedway.

Nationwide Series career

Logano's 18th birthday on May 24, 2008, made him eligible to compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He made his Nationwide debut at Dover International Speedway in the 2008 Heluva Good! 200 with a 6th place finish. In his first three races in the Nationwide Series, Logano won the pole position, at Nashville and Kentucky.

On June 14, 2008, Logano won the 2008 Meijer 300 at Kentucky Speedway. It was his first Nationwide Series win in only his third start, becoming the youngest winner in Nationwide history beating the record that was then held by Casey Atwood by 9 months.

Logano had to sit out a few races races due to sponsorship commitments from his team that required them running Tony Stewart in the #20 car. Also because NASCAR had to authorize the 18-year-old to compete on the big ovals such as Daytona International Speedway. Logano returned to the #20 for the Gateway event and has continued to run the rest of the schedule. [ [http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/68664 Logano to skip a few Nationwide races] ]

Logano will drive an ARCA race at Talladega to gain NASCAR's approval to run on the superspeedways.

Sprint Cup Series career

On August 25, 2008, Joe Gibbs Racing called a press conference to announce that Logano will drive the #20 Home Depot Toyota Camry in the 2009 Sprint Cup Series. [http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/headlines/cup/08/25/jlogano.jgibbs.20.car/index.html Logano officially named to replace Stewart in No. 20] ] Logano will replace Tony Stewart who is leaving JGR to drive for his own team Stewart Haas Racing. Logano will also be a candidate for the Rookie of the Year award. Logano was scheduled to make his first Sprint Cup start in the #02 Home Depot car part-time throughout the rest of the 2008 season, starting at Richmond.

On August 28, 2008, Hall of Fame Racing announced that Logano would drive five races in their #96 car during the 2008 Sprint Cup Series. [ [http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/headlines/cup/08/27/jlogano.bcoleman.kschrader.hof/index.html Logano to drive five Cup races for Hall of Fame team] ] His official debut was in the New Hampshire on September 14.

On September 5, 2008, Joey Logano made his first appearance in a Sprint Cup car at Richmond International Raceway in the two hour long Friday practice for the Chevy Rock & Roll 400. Unfortunately due to Tropical Storm Hanna qualifying was rained out & as the #02 was not in the top 35 in owner's points, Logano did not get to debut. Logano is the youngest modern-era driver to compete in NASCAR's top division.

Since Joey Logano started in the Cup Series he has not had much success with two finishes of 30th place or worse. These two races have been his only two Nascar Sprint Cup Series starts.

Hall of Fame Racing has decided to remove Joey from the remainder of his scheduled races. They stated that they are going to put Ken Schrader back into the car. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/cup/news/story?id=3618483 Logano removed from the 96 Hall of Fame Racing Toyota] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.joeylogano.com Official Website]
* [http://racing-reference.info/driver?id=loganjo01 Logano's NASCAR Statistics]
* [http://www.joegibbsracing.com/current/20nns/20nns_prhist.php Joe Gibbs Racing Profile]