[vincesanity82]

Joey Logano is only 17, and eagerly awaiting his 18th birthday in a few weeks so he'll finally become legal for NASCAR racing. And everyone in the NASCAR garage is waiting to see if Logano really can live up to the buildup that Mark Martin has been giving him. "I am looking forward to racing at Rockingham," Logano said. "It is going to be a sweet race. There is going to be so much stuff going on with this race and the strategies that it is going to be really cool to be racing in it." -- Winston-Salem Journal


NASCAR Notebook

[Bob Tanner]

This brings up a very good question, Vince. Joey has been touted as The Second Coming for... three years now? What happens if he moves up to Cup and falls flat on his face? What happens if, in his first race, he does a "Malcolm McDowell" and after 8-9 barrel rolls at 190 MPH, then he decides that maybe getting an education and picking up chicks IS a viable option to NA__AR?

All this hype can be survived. Kevin Harvick did a good job jumping into Dale's seat in 2001. Shrubby lived up to, and then some, his older brother's hyping him.

This might be an interesting evolving story.

[LSC9901]

I have respect for Mark Martin's choice but it all goes back to being untested. Give the kid some time to get some experience at a level that is more forgiving than the top series. Look at some of the open wheelers who have experience driving in top competition. With all the "experience" they have they are not burning paths to victory lane. Joey would do good by himself if he just took a couple years getting used to the type of car used in higher levels of competition. I could be wrong but I highly doubt it.

[jks812]

I agree LSC. They should run him in busch for awhile and not rush his move to cup. The lack of experience can be a down fall to some, does the name David Gilliland ring a bell. Of course he might be one of the few that won't falter from it.

[NASCAR Gnome]

I think the same argument could be made for someone like LeBron James or Daryl Dawkins or Ralph Sampson or... Those guys were high schoolers who made the jump to the pros without going through the maturation process in other sports so... why not Logano?

Trust me, we'll know very soon how good (or bad) this kid is. Hype it all you want but the proof will come soon enough so I say, sit back and watch because we might just be fortunate to witness something very special!

I find the irony very thick because Tony Stewart drives the Joe Gibbs #20 car and if I'm not mistaken, Joey Logano also drives a Joe Gibbs #20 car!

[bears9]

I think if what Gibbs is saying about Stewart is true and they hold him to his contract, they should have Logano run Nationwide and Truck races until Smoke leaves for Haas or where ever, and then give Logano the 20 car.

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by NASCAR Gnome

I think the same argument could be made for someone like LeBron James or Daryl Dawkins or Ralph Sampson

Well not really. If those guys were having a bad game they could be pulled to sit on the bench and there would be someone to replace them. Not really the same process in racing.

[jks812]

Originally Posted by NASCAR Gnome

I think the same argument could be made for someone like LeBron James or Daryl Dawkins or Ralph Sampson or... Those guys were high schoolers who made the jump to the pros without going through the maturation process in other sports so... why not Logano?

I might be alittle wrong, but to me throwing a ball at a hoop and all is alot different to driving a car at almost 200 mph. So I wouldn't use the same argument.

[NASCAR Gnome]

Methinks y'all missing my point here... It's not about the sport per se, it's about the process.

All those BBall players I mentioned were "stud" high school players who eschewed (bypassed) their college futures to jump directly to the pros... I am comparing Logano to these guys simply because in car racing, there's no defined way to determine the steps from adolescence to maturity as your organized team sports does. In team sports, you play junior <insert sport here> then varsity then move to college where you either "redshirt," "dress" or "sit." I've been there so I know first hand but to see someone like Logano who is obviously as talented as, perhaps a 22-year old Kyle Busch was at 17-18 years old, I am curious to see how he responds to the pressure.

In short, I am trying to determine if Joey Logano, like Kyle Busch, is ahead of his time... and it remains to be seen... but I am looking forward to watching!

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by NASCAR Gnome

In short, I am trying to determine if Joey Logano, like Kyle Busch, is ahead of his time... and it remains to be seen... but I am looking forward to watching!

Well put, Gnome. Like you, I will be waiting for the final analysis.

[jks812]

Originally Posted by NASCAR Gnome

In short, I am trying to determine if Joey Logano, like Kyle Busch, is ahead of his time... and it remains to be seen... but I am looking forward to watching!

Oh ok I see what you're saying now. I for one hope he makes it. I just don't want to see them rush him to the cup series before he's ready like they have some of them, only to have him run bad and then everybody give up on him.

[bamaga]

Originally Posted by NASCAR Gnome

I think the same argument could be made for someone like LeBron James or Daryl Dawkins or Ralph Sampson or... Those guys were high schoolers who made the jump to the pros without going through the maturation process in other sports so... why not Logano?

Trust me, we'll know very soon how good (or bad) this kid is. Hype it all you want but the proof will come soon enough so I say, sit back and watch because we might just be fortunate to witness something very special!

I find the irony very thick because Tony Stewart drives the Joe Gibbs #20 car and if I'm not mistaken, Joey Logano also drives a Joe Gibbs #20 car!

uh, I know the university of Virginia isn't Harvard, but I didn't think it was a High School either......thats were Ralph Sampson attended Hig...er...college. just a technicality .

[wingkey1]

Much (most?) of what is to be for Logano, as is fully true for any new/young competitive participant, has to do with those who have his ear/mind/heart in his participations and pursuit in/of those activity(ies) that brings personal reward/happiness.

Were it to be these individuals (the “ear/mind/heart” owner folks) are:

• more/most focused on personal gain/pleasure to be realized from the accomplishments of another
• living their lives via the accomplishments of another
• Devoid of experience yet in some magical way “all knowing”
• measuring the young competitors success in terms of chronological physical, chronological emotional, or perceived “common path to success”

“Common path to success believers” may be heard to repeatedly express

“Oh well gee, it’s obvious everyone always must spend exactly x amount of time doing this before one can ever be successful doing that”.

“Well clearly if by age X one can do this, certainly by age X+1 one should arrive here”.

“Well, he/she is clearly “over” cause all of his/her chronological peers can be presently measured as more successful”.

What flippin’ generic categorical CRAP! The ‘ol – “One shoe fits all” belief harbored most closely by those most distant from direct contribution/knowledge/participation.

It would seem that Master Logano has some fairly decent individuals available to him. Martin, Gibbs, hopefully more.

Hopefully those with direct experience and guiding knowledge in the activity/goal of interest, that are equally understanding, concerned for, and focused on the individual, hold the heart and mind of Logano. This pretty much leaves out the general public.

So: Can Logano live up to buildup? I’m impressed already.

[NASCAR Gnome]

Originally Posted by bamaga

uh, I know the university of Virginia isn't Harvard, but I didn't think it was a High School either......thats were Ralph Sampson attended Hig...er...college. just a technicality .

Know what? I stand corrected! Ralph Sampson did NOT come right out of high school! I was thinking of another center - Daryl Dawkins perhaps? Time has a way of clouding memory... in fact they say that as you get older, your memory is the SECOND thing to go... I forgot what the first thing was!

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by NASCAR Gnome

Know what? I stand corrected! Ralph Sampson did NOT come right out of high school! I was thinking of another center - Daryl Dawkins perhaps? Time has a way of clouding memory... in fact they say that as you get older, your memory is the SECOND thing to go... I forgot what the first thing was!

and I've found if you forgot what it was, you don't miss it!!