Logano learning, still looking

‭LOUDON, N.H. – Joey Logano didn’t realize how much his first career Sprint Cup Series victory meant when it happened.

Now, just over two years later, he still doesn’t.

The simple reason is Logano can’t be certain he can fully appreciate that moment until he has the chance to experience another like it.

The young driver burst onto the scene with enormous expectations and his Cup career has provided many highs and lows, but – so far – not another win.

Logano will try to change that in Sunday’s Lenox Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the site of his first series win.

“‬I think the fact that I was that young,‭ ‬I didn‭’‬t know better.‭ ‬I think I didn‭’‬t realize it,” said Logano, who turned 21 on May 24.‭ “‬Now that I‭’‬m older and learned a lot more since then,‭ ‬I realize how difficult it was.

“‬I always wanted to do better than everyone expected me to do.‭ ‬I put more pressure on myself than anyone else around me could possibly put on me.”

While Logano has been trying to establish himself in the Cup series, he has been surrounded at Joe Gibbs Racing by drivers who sometimes make winning look easy.

On JGR’s No. 20 Toyota team, he replaced one of the organization’s best in two-time series champion Tony Stewart.

His current teammates have their own impressive credentials.

Denny Hamlin won eight Cup races last season and finished as runner-up in the championship battle to Jimmie Johnson. Busch, at 26, already has 99 wins in NASCAR’s three national series – Cup, Nationwide and Trucks.

“‬They are definitely two real good teammates for me and they are willing to help a lot,” Logano said. “I think we all have three way different personalities,‭ ‬but we all find a way to work together to make our cars as good as possible.‭”

Logano’s tenure in Cup can best be described as “streaky.” He’s put several strong weeks together at times, but fallen prey to a series of bad race performances as well.

He has experienced all sides of the spectrum, from being considered a Chase contender to rumors this season about the possible departure of his crew chief from JGR – or worse, his own.

“‬As long as we keep working hard,‭ ‬you have to be proud of what you‭’‬ve done and‭ ‬be happy about it.‭ ‬I‭’‬m sure that if something did happen,‭ ‬I will be able to find something else and be able to race, for sure,” Logano said.

“‬You never know what life will bring you. There is always a positive in something and you just have to find it.”

While searching for consistent success on the track, Logano has also struggled with finding his voice as a driver, particularly with his fellow competitors.

NASCAR rookies don’t generally get a lot of positive feedback when they voice displeasure over racing incidents with veteran rivals. Logano’s age at the time of his Cup debut (18), only added to his problems.

When he has publicly faced off with other drivers - Ryan Newman and Kevin Harvick most recently – he’s been criticized for standing up to competitors without having performance credentials to match.

“‬For me,‭ ‬being young and coming into the sport like this and working with a team that‭’‬s been around for a long time, it‭’‬s hard to figure out where your place is,” he said.‭ “‬How much can you say and get away with? How much can you stand up for yourself?

“‬There‭’‬s a balance there that‭’‬s hard to find.”

That’s not to say Logano hasn’t learned from his experiences.

He spends far more time now in the time between races to better prepare himself.

Logano has sought advice from his JGR teammates, but also from drivers who have participated in many forms of motorsports, including Max Papis. He’s putting more emphasis on mental preparation in addition to the physical. And he's learning there is far more to being a successful Cup driver than simply holding a steering wheel.

The result has been another swing in fortune.

Over the last seven races, he’s moved from 27th to 20th in the series standings. If Logano can secure a win or two before the season’s 26th race, he would be eligible for one of the two “wild card” spots in the Chase.

Logano's experience tells him it won’t be easy.

“‬As I have come through this,” he said, “if I didn‭’‬t race the rest of my life,‭ ‬I don‭’‬t think there would be anything ever that is as hard as what I‭’‬m doing right now.”

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