Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway Preview

• HAPPY BIRTHDAY: On Saturday, Logano will celebrate his 24th birthday while running the No. 22 Pennzoil Platinum Ford Fusion in practice at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Logano’s birthday has long been a focal point in his career, from early on when he waited for his 10th birthday to “officially” make a run in Legends cars to his 16th birthday to become eligible for the NASCAR East & West Series (where he won his first West and first East starts) to his 18th birthday, when he was eligible to make his long-awaited NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) debut.
• STILL A FRONT RUNNER: Through the first 11 races of the 2014 season, Logano continues to show his strength through impressive statistics. Despite being sixth in the point standings, Logano remains first in one of the biggest stats, driver rating. His 108 driver rating is 2.2 points better than series point leader Jeff Gordon’s 105.8 rating. Logano has also spent more laps in the top 15 than any other driver and his 8.2 mid-race average position is also best in the series. His 447 laps led (already a career-best) ranks third behind Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick. Logano has also led laps in 10 of 11 races, best in the series.
• BUSY CHARLOTTE WEEK: As is typical with Charlotte “race weeks,” Logano will be extremely busy leading into the Coca-Cola 600. Logano will race in the Little 600 at the GoPro Motorplex on Tuesday night. He will throw out the first pitch at the minor league Charlotte Knights baseball game on Wednesday night and he will make an appearance at the Coca-Cola stage at Speed Street in Uptown Charlotte on Friday night.
• A NEW LOOK 22: Joey Logano’s No. 22 Ford Fusion will carry a special Pennzoil Platinum paint scheme in Sunday’s race. The special design scheme continues a month-long schedule of activities celebrating the launch of Pennzoil Platinum® and Pennzoil Ultra Platinum™ Full Synthetic motor oils with PurePlus™ Technology. PurePlus™ Technology is a patented, revolutionary process that converts pure natural gas into a first-of-its-kind, high quality full synthetic base oil.
• ANOTHER COKE CHAMPION: On Friday night, Logano will receive his 2013 Coca-Cola Chug for Charity Champion trophy at Speed Street in Uptown Charlotte. Logano won the Chug for Charity Championship in 2012 and again in 2013. The Coca-Cola Chug for Charity programs allows Coca-Cola Racing Family members to drink Coca-Cola on camera during race weekend interviews and, in turn, earn money for their favorite charities.

The No. 22 Pennzoil Platinum Ford Fusion

ARE YOU GOING TO BE DOING ANYTHING SPECIAL TO CELEBRATE YOUR BIRTHDAY THIS WEEK?

“I guess I’ll just be celebrating behind the wheel of the No. 22 Pennzoil Platinum Ford. I’m totally focused on practice on Saturday. But maybe Saturday night, I’ll go out to dinner. But not too late. The night before a race, I try and get as much sleep as possible and be ready. I mean, it’s not that big of deal. Birthdays when you are 24 aren’t like they were when you were 12. It’s really just another day of the week anymore.”

YOUR BIRTHDAY HAS ALWAYS BEEN A BIG PART OF YOUR RACING CAREER. DID YOU FEEL THAT PRESSURE GROWING UP?

“We were always looking towards my next birthday, because it seemed like every year, growing a year older would let me race another car or in another series. I raced Legends cars younger than I was supposed to. I couldn’t run in ASA even though they would let me practice and qualify. We were waiting for my 16th birthday to be able to run in the East and West Series. And of course I had to wait until I was 18 to be able to run my first Nationwide Series race at Dover. So I’ve always looked towards it. But I guess that is over now. I’m pretty much old enough to do anything anymore. I’m getting to be an old man for sure.”