Future is just about now for JGR rising star Logano

Joey Logano didn't like baseball and certainly not basketball. In fact, his father, Tom Logano, said his son "stunk" at both. Finally, the Connecticut youngster found something he did like: a go-kart.

A stick-and-ball coach with no significant racing knowledge, Tom Logano never imagined that same go-kart he bought for his son when Joey was 4 years old would be the catalyst to a career in NASCAR for one of the sport's premier teams.

Joey Logano

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A development driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, Logano is preparing to make his Nationwide Series debut later this month at Dover International Speedway.

His highly anticipated launch into the series has been the topic of conversation around many garage coolers recently as some believe Logano could be the future of Joe Gibbs Racing -- alongside young guns Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin -- if JGR franchise driver Tony Stewart chooses to leave for greener pastures in 2009 or beyond.

Sure, the media is calling Logano a future star; he was featured in Sports Illustrated at 17 years old, and recall Mark Martin dubbed him "the real deal." But all of this falls on Logano's deaf ears.

"It's definitely cool to have your name mentioned in the same sentence as those guys but I'm focused on one race at a time and it's up to Joe and J.D. [Gibbs, team owner and president, respectively] which races those are," Logano said.

If the teenager had things his way, it would've been sooner but Logano doesn't turn 18, the eligible age per NASCAR rules, until May 24, one week before he is slated to run in the Heluva Good! 200 at Dover. He'll waive the birthday pomp and likely watch the Nationwide cars go around Lowe's Motor Speedway that day in the Carquest Auto Parts 300.

"Yeah, I really don't care so much about turning 18, I just want to race," said Logano of trading his teen years for adult privileges; the right to vote, permission to join the military or even, heaven forbid, having his nose pierced.

Logano's interests don't extend much beyond the track aside from Nick at Nite and his wakeboarding boat. Racing is his one and only focus, but like his age, it's about to change drastically. He's going from regional touring series in small towns to a national arena in NASCAR's major markets.

But if history is any indication, Logano will find success just as soon as he gets behind the wheel. Lagono won the Junior Stock Quarter Midgets Eastern Grand National Championship when he was 7 years old. At age 9, he won double Summer Shootout Series championships racing Bandoleros in both Atlanta and Charlotte. Three years later he became the youngest driver to win the Pro National Championship in Legends.

It took Logano just two races to find Victory Lane in the Hooters Pro Cup in 2005. As for NASCAR's Camping World Series (formerly Grand National) East series, he clinched the 2007 championship at Dover's Monster Mile as a rookie. In his first ARCA Re/Max Series event, Logano "whupped up on" the entire field; in an old Cup car Denny Hamlin once drove, Logano nearly lapped the field in his Joe Gibbs Racing Chevrolet in the inaugural Carolina 500 at Rockingham Speedway.

His dad calls this natural ability. Logano, on the other hand, is hesitant and tries to explain while maintaining an unassuming disposition.

"I guess it is beginner's luck, but last year we pretty much won a ton of races, too, so ...," he said. "But it's definitely hard to do something brand new. I had a really good car and felt comfortable. I'm kind of still trying to explain it to myself really."

Logano doesn't over-think things and he's not going to put pressure on top of pressure. He'll remember to be a kid, have fun along the way. That's the best advice he's ever received and it came from his coach and team owner.

His family helps to remind Logano that there is life outside the track, as well. Before the Logano family agreed to move to Concord, N.C., to support their son's racing aspirations, there was one stipulation. Dad had to build an ice-skating rink.

Logano has a 19-year-old sister, Danielle, a figure skater who performs at various shows around the country as well as coaches young skaters at the family's ice-skating rink located 30 miles south of Charlotte.

"Yeah, we have 1,000 pairs of ice skates, oh and come see Joey Logano skate," said his dad with a laugh. "He's a great skater, he played hockey for a while because the season didn't interfere with racing."

With adulthood looming and adolescence waning, both parents, Debbie and Tom, value the time they still have with their son at home.

"Joey is very mature as a driver, but he's still a goofy kid at home," Tom said. "He knows how to enjoy life."