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 LOGANO MAKES HISTORY

Joey Logano has done something that no New England native has ever done before:  Win the championship in America’s biggest and most important racing series.

            The Middletown, Connecticut driver won the final race of the year in NASCAR’s Cup Series at Homestead, Florida on November 18, 2018 and with it the championship.

            Logano’s racing career began when as a six-year old child his parents gave him a go-kart for Christmas. Logano remembered how excited he was when he first saw the shiny new kart. He raced his way through many series from go-karts, Bandoleros, Legends cars, late models and the rest until he finally landed a ride with Joe Gibbs in NASCAR’s top series.

            His first Cup win came at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2009. The car he drove to that win is at the North East Motor Sports Museum as is the trophy he won that day.

            With the championship race win, Logano now has won 21 top-division races including the 2015 Daytona 500.

            Some 15 years ago, then retiring Cup Series driver Mark Martin promised that Joey Logano would be one of “the greatest NASCAR drivers of all time.” When he said that, virtually nobody in big league racing—not fans, not the media, not NASCAR officials—had even heard of Logano. Martin’s call was spot on. Logano will be a first round pick for NASCAR’s Hall of Fame when he becomes eligible.

            Although his legend is being made with on-track performance, Logano gives back with enthusiasm. His foundation supports dozens of well-run charities that help children in need. Every dollar donated to Logano’s foundation goes to help others because he pays all of the foundations’ expenses out of his pocket.

            All of us in New England can be proud of our region’s first big league racing champion.

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