(WOMR file photo)
The good news just seems to fall into Joey Logano’s lap! After grabbing a victory in the second race of The Chase, assuring his team advancement to the second round of the NASCAR playoffs, Team Penske extends Logano’s contract.
Under the new multi-year agreement, Logano will continue behind the wheel of the #22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Fusion in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) and the #22 Discount Tire / Hertz Ford Mustang in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) for Team Penske.
“Joey Logano has been everything we hoped he would be, both as a driver and as a representative of our organization and for our partners,” said Roger Penske. “He continues to put points on the board for us and the continuity and chemistry he has developed within the team has been terrific. We believe he can be a leader and championship-level driver for Team Penske for years to come.”
Already a seven-year NASCAR veteran, the 24-year-old has proven to be an elite driver. Throughout the course of his career, Logano has produced 7 NSCS wins and 21 NNS victories. Since joining Team Penske at the start of the 2013 NASCAR season, Logano has enjoyed the best two-year stretch of his young career, earning 5 NSCS wins and 3 NNS victories.
The native of Middletown, Conn., has earned a spot in his second-consecutive Chase for the Sprint Cup in 2014. His four NSCS wins – at Texas Motor Speedway, Richmond International Raceway, Bristol Motor Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway – reflect a career high in race victories for one season. Those wins, along with a career best 12 top-five and 17 top-ten finishes through the season’s first 28 races driving the Shell-Pennzoil Ford Fusion, helped Logano earn the fifth seed to begin the Chase playoff format. In addition to his success this season, Logano helped Team Penske secure the 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series Owner’s Championship with three series wins.
“I am fortunate and excited to be a part of Team Penske for the foreseeable future,” said Logano, currently ranked second in the Chase standings after his victory last weekend at New Hampshire. “Mr. Penske gives us everything we need to keep our eye on the prize and compete for wins and championships. I think that is clear by the number of wins we have across the board this year. I’m fortunate to represent great companies like Ford, Shell-Pennzoil, AAA, AutoTrader.com, Discount Tire, Hertz and all of the great partners we have here at Team Penske. I think our best years are in front of us for sure.” (teampenske.com)
Looking back on the last two years, it appears that the move from Joe Gibbs Racing to Team Penske was the absolute best thing that could have happened to Logano’s racing career! At JGR, Logano was thrust into the #20 Toyota way too quickly, as a consequence of Tony Stewart abruptly leaving JGR for part ownership in the newly formed Stewart-Haas Racing. Suffice it to say that the Logano-Team Penske relationship is a two way street that has brought great credit to both entities!
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
