Rising Star Logano Makes History In NASCAR
Jun 15, 2008
CIA Stock Photo, Inc.
Joey Logano became the youngest winner in Nationwide Series history Saturday night, cruising to victory in the Meijer 300 at Kentucky Speedway in his third series start. Logano, at 18 years, 21 days old, broke the age record of 18 years, 10 months, 9 days set by Casey Atwood in Milwaukee in 1999.
“Three starts, two poles, one win. He’s OK,” quipped crew chief Dave Rogers.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver nicknamed ”Sliced Bread” might be even better than that. Logano took the lead from teammate Kyle Busch on lap 147 and had little trouble the rest of the way after Busch’s night ended with a visit to the wall in the second turn with 37 laps to go.
”I expected to win here, I expected to win in Dover,” Logano said. “I have to win races. (Losing) is not even an option.”
Joey Logano’s first Nationwide Series start May 31 at Dover International Speedway proved to be one of the most highly anticipated driver debuts in the history of NASCAR.
Logano left Dover disappointed with his first showing. A sixth-place finish wasn’t good enough for the 18-year-old Middletown native.
Logano beat Scott Wimmer by 2.2 seconds to become the youngest driver to win in NASCAR’s three national divisions.
Logano, who drives for Joe Gibbs Racing, turned 18 on May 24, making him eligible to run in NASCAR’s national divisions.
”Unbelievable,” Logano said. “I couldn’t ask for a better Father’s Day gift, that’s for sure. I was wondering what I was going to get my dad. This will work plenty good, I think.”
Logano started at the front of the field after winning the pole for the second week in a row.
He ran with the leaders most of the race and it was clear after the halfway point that Logano and Busch, who also drives for Joe Gibbs, had the cars to beat.
Logano’s teammate, Kyle Busch, led a race-best 85 laps but when Busch’s car broke loose and wrecked late in the race it left Logano out front and no one was able to catch him.
The Connecticut native led 76 laps and became the third first-time victor at Kentucky in as many years—Stephen Leicht won here a year ago and David Gilliland won here two years ago.
Logano’s father, Tom, watched from the pits as his son carefully guided his No. 20 car over the final laps at the 1.5-mile tri-oval, then celebrated with what he called the best Father’s Day present ever.
“I figured about 10, but he did it in three,” the proud said when he was asked how long he thought it would take the driver to win his first race at this level of NASCAR competition.
Logano, hailed as a prodigy by NASCAR star Mark Martin when Logano was 15, became the second Kentucky victor to win from the pole and the eighth different winner in eight races since the race’s inception.
The way Logano dominated the field over the final 37 laps, the path to Victory Lane could become familiar. He flattened two tires while showing off for the fans after the race, a show of youthful exuberance that belies the steady hand Logano showed while making history.
Scott Wimmer settled for runner-up honors and was followed by Mike Wallace, Brad Keselowski and Bryan Clauson. Marcos Ambrose, David Ragan Mike Bliss, Clint Bowyer and Jason Keller were among the top-10 finishers.
