Joseph Logano (born May 24, 1990 in Middletown,
Connecticut) nicknamed "sliced bread" from Randy
LaJoie, is an American race car driver, in NASCAR's
Nationwide Series.
Logano's first NASCAR career win came in just his
third 2008 start in the Nationwide Series, at
Kentucky Speedway (Mejier 300). Making history,
Logano is now 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.
He currently drives the #20 GameStop Toyota Camry
for Joe Gibbs Racing.
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. 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". 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."
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. 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.
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.
