Three-time and reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano will be making his 600th series start this weekend at Dover – a significant statistic considering he’s only 35-years-old.
The youngest in NASCAR history to achieve that mark, Logano smiles recalling that his second ever NASCAR Cup Series start at Dover – 16 years ago as a 19-year-old and how it ended with a dramatic fashion – his car flipping. But for the popular Team Penske driver, the part of the statistic that “hits home” is that he’s been able to have such a successful career, noting he essentially grew up in front of everyone and all the challenges that entailed.
The three championship trophies in NASCAR’s premier series would indicate it’s all worked out well for the Connecticut-native, who in 2009 became the youngest NASCAR Cup Series race winner driver in history, hoisting the lobster at just 19-years-old.
“At first glance, I said, well, it’s just ‘starts,’ “Logano said of reaching the big milestone number this week. “But then when you start thinking about it, to be able to be around in a sport as an athlete competing at a top level for 16-plus years, and hitting 600 starts, it’s pretty incredible to have a career that long. It’s something that I take some pride in. I’m proud of that, to be able to hit this marker.
“It’s a lot of starts. I remember my 300th start and I think it was Kenseth at the time, maybe it was Truex as well, that weren’t too far from 600 and I thought, ‘Geez, that’s double the amount of races as me. That’s crazy.’ But here I am, so it went by pretty quick. It’s been a heck of a ride. This sport has been awesome to me and my family and I’m proud to be a part of it.”