Joey Logano

As well as one of NASCAR's biggest talents, Joey Logano is also one of the youngest. He was the first driver born in the 1990s that has competed in three major divisions, and the youngest winner of NASCAR Cup Series race, after winning at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2009 at the age of 19 years and 35 days. Nine years later, he became the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion.

Between 2009 and 2018, Logano scored 21 NASCAR Cup Series wins in more then 362 starts over eleven seasons. Prior to his championship-winning season in 2018, his best finish was the second place in 2016. He was also race winner 30 times in the Nationwide/Xfinity Series and one time in the Truck Series.

Joey Logano

Beginning of the career

He began his racing career in 1996 at just 6 years old, and in 1997 he won his first Eastern Grand National Championship in the Junior Stock Car division, followed by several championship wins during the next two years.

When he and his family moved to Georgia, he won a Bandolero Bandits Series Championship, after which he dominated in the Legend cars championships. When he was fifteen, Logano was noticed by Mark Martin, a veteran NASCAR driver, who called him the real deal and one of the biggest potentials in NASCAR.

Joey Logano, GameStop Toyota Camry in Victory Lane

NASCAR debut and first win in Nationwide Series

In 2008, Joey Logano raced in all three of NASCAR's top divisions for the first time. After failing in attempt to qualify for the races at Richmond and Atlanta, Logano had competed in three races, while he took a part only at Talladega in Camping World Truck Series and was 26th.

The same year, Joey had the most number of races in Nationwide Series. He won Alsco 300 at Kentucky and finished 2nd at Gateway International Raceway and Milwaukee. At the end of the year, he was 20th in the standings which was a good achievement considering he had competed in only 18 races.

Joey Logano, Toyota

Picking up the experience in Sprint Cup Series

In 2009, Logano competed full-time in Sprint Cup, driving a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. He became the youngest ever driver to compete in Daytona 500, scoring his first win at New Hampshire and finishing 3rd at Talladega, taking 20th place overall. In the Nationwide Series, he was driving only in selected races and did a great job, taking five wins and four 2nd places from 22 starts.

Joey Logano, Toyota Camry, 2012

In the following two years, Logano couldn't win a race despite some relatively good performances. He had scored seven top 5 and sixteen top 10 finishes on the way to a 16th place in the final points. In 2011, Joey struggled to find a proper form so he dropped in the standings to 24th place after he had scored only four Top 5 and six top 10 finishes.

While he slightly started to improve in Sprint Cup, he scored nine victories in Nationwide Series in 2012. He booked a victory at Pocono Raceway after he had started from pole position. He also had one other top 5 and eleven top 10 finishes on the road to the 17th place finish in the final points standings.

Joey Logano in 2010

Logano joined Team Penske in 2013

In 2013, Logano left Joe Gibbs Racing and signed with Team Penske to drive #22 Ford. That proved to be a good move, as Joey progressed towards the top of the standings. He scored a win at Michigan, and his form was rising in the second half of the season, bringing him to the 8th place in the final standings.

Joey Logano in Victory Lane, Kansas, 2014

Logano established himself as one of the top NASCAR drivers

After he'd become more experienced, Logano continued to profit from his talent. The season 2014 was great, with five wins and fourth place in the Cup Series standings.

At one point of the season, Logano was at the 2nd position, only a point behind the championship leader and his teammate Brad Keselowski. For his fine form, Logano was rewarded with a new lucrative and long-term contract with Team Penske.

Joey Logano celebrates Daytona 500 victory

Daytona 500 victory in 2015, championship runner-up in 2016

The following year wasn't as good as 2014, considering the final position. Joey was 6th in the championship but made a new personal best in number of wins. He scored six victories in 2015, managing to record three consecutive wins late in the season, at Charlotte, Kansas and Talladega. The most precious was a victory at Daytona 500.

The start of 2016 was marked by Logano's unstable form, but for the first time in his career, he managed to score a Sprint Cup All-Star Race triumph. In the championship, he won three times and finished second in the points, losing a title to Jimmie Johnson.

Joey Logano - 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion

NASCAR Cup Series champion in 2018

In 2017, the #2 Ford Fusion was in the Victory Lane just once, at Richmond Raceway, and Logano finished just 17th in the points. In 2018, he continued to drive for Team Penske and reached the peak in November at Homestead-Miami Speedway, winning the final race of the season and taking the NASCAR Cup Series title.

Earlier in the season, he secured a spot in the Playoffs by winning the Talladega 500.  In the Playoffs, he won at Martinsville Speedway to secure a spot in the Championship 4 round, against three former champions, nicknamed the Big 3: Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. He was an underdog but he won the race, his 21st in a career, and took the title.

Guest in various TV shows

From 2009 to 2013, Logano has appeared in various TV shows and series, including the American Idol, WWE Raw, Destroy Build Destroy, and Lab Rats. Also, he married his childhood sweetheart Brittany Bacca in December of 2014.

Joey Logano with his wife Brittany

Photos: usatoday.com, joeylogano.com, reddit.com, skirtsandscuffs.com, heavy.com.