Joey Logano
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| Born: | May 24, 1990 | |
| Birthplace: | Middletown, Connecticut | |
| Achievements: | 2007 NASCAR Camping World East Series Champion | |
| Awards: | ||
| NASCAR Nationwide Series Statistics | ||
| Car #, Team | #20 - Joe Gibbs Racing | |
| First Race: | 2008 Heluva Good! 200 (Dover) | |
| Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
| 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Statistics current as of June 7th, 2008. | ||
Joseph Logano (born May 24, 1990 in Middletown, Connecticut), is an American race car driver. He is the reigning NASCAR Camping World East Series champion. He drives the #20 GameStop Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. NASCAR commentator and former Nationwide Series champion Randy LaJoie gave Logano the nickname Sliced Bread saying that Logano was the greatest thing since sliced bread.[1]
[edit] Racing career
He started his racing career in a quarter midget at age 7. His family moved to Georgia because his sister was a promising figure skater. The move allowed Logano to race in higher division cars at an earlier age in Georgia compared to Connecticut. He also won in Bandoleros and Legends cars. At age 12, Logano won the Southeast-based Pro Legends national championship.[2] He spent several years racing various forms of pavement Late Model racing. During this time, he became a development driver for Roush Fenway Racing.
Veteran NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Mark Martin, who was driving for Roush at the time, called Joey Logano "the real deal". [3] 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."[2]
In 2005, he ran in 1 FASCAR Pro Truck Series race at New Smynra, 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.[3] 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.
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. He qualified on the pole position for his second race at Nashville Superspeedway. He led 64 laps early in the race. After restarting deeper in the field, he was involved in an accident on lap 88. He came back out many laps down after his team repaired the car.
[edit] References
- ^ SceneDaily.com: Young phenom Joey Logano ready for Nationwide Series
- ^ a b "The next big thing"; October 23, 2007; Jay Hart; Yahoo Sports; Retrieved October 25, 2007
- ^ a b JoeyLoganoRacing.com: Biography
[edit] External links
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