CUP: Improvement, Fun Two Big Goals For Logano

Sprint Cup

CUP: Improvement, Fun Two Big Goals For Logano

Joey Logano was the Raybestos Rookie of the Year in 2009...

Tom Jensen | Posted January 17, 2010 Daytona Beach, FL

Joey Logano won Raybestos Rookie of the Year and finished 20th in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points in 2009. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

When you see the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry NASCAR Sprint Cup entry on the race track, circling a track at 190 miles per hour, it’s easy to overlook one key fact: Its pilot is barely old enough to vote.

But when you hear Joey Logano talk, there’s no mistaking the fact that he’s a youngster. Logano has good manners, an infectious laugh and he liberally peppers every conversation with lots of words like “cool” and “awesome” and the occasional wide-eyed glance.

Regardless of his age, though, the 2009 NASCAR Raybestos Rookie of the Year will have a lot of eyes on him this season as Logano tries to live up to the promise that the Gibbs organization saw in him when they selected him to replace Tony Stewart last year.

Logano certainly had a respectable rookie season, winning one race and finishing 20th in points after a dodgy start that saw him finish 30th or worse in five of the first seven races of the year. Logano knows, though, that the bar will be considerably higher this year.

“Hopefully, we keep improving,” said Logano, when asked what his goal for 2010 was. “That's our No. 1 priority right now. Second half of the season we really picked it up a lot. We've got a lot to go obviously. But as long as we keep working hard and keep going, I think we're going to keep getting better.”

And for Logano, a truly excellent season would be one that culminates with a spot as one of the 12 drivers in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

“I think this year if we can make the Chase, that would be really cool,” said Logano. “You know, I went to the shop the other day, and we were talking a lot about what we've got to do to make it, and it's going to be tough, obviously. And you look at some of the drivers this year that didn't make it that are drivers that probably should have made it. It's going to be tough, and it's going to be a lot of work, and we're willing to do whatever it takes.”

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Tom Jensen

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