EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — NASCAR driver Joey Logano made a stop in southern California to tour the Automobile Driving Museum on Wednesday afternoon. He was in the area to promote the upcoming Auto Club 400 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series race at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana on March 26.
I spoke with Logano on the phone during his visit to the museum in El Segundo.
“It was a blast. I got to check out a lot of great cars that they have there and also give a lot of rides. My favorite car was a 1909 Model T. That was probably the most fun. The older they are, the more fun they are to drive.”
I saw that you finished sixth in your last two races. Is that your new lucky number?
“I hope not,” he laughed. “I’d like to do a little better than sixth. We’ve had a couple of recoveries from some mistakes that my team has made, some learning experiences with some parts and pieces on our car. We’re kind of getting through that.”
Logano recently extended his contact for five more years with Team Penske Racing.
“Yes, it’s been a nice thing to be able to accomplish. Driving for Roger has always been a dream of mine. It’s nice being able to extend that for a very long time. It’s an honor. We were close to winning a championship the last two years and as a team we can stay together and keep filling out that continuity. It’s a big deal in helping us reach our ultimate goal, which is winning a championship.”
How excited are you to race at the Auto Club Speedway in a few weeks?
“I’m pumped about it. Auto Club Speedway is one of my favorite race tracks. I think every driver will say the same thing. It’s a lot of fun. The track wears out tires a lot, which is a good thing. The track is very wide and it’s fast. I think those three things make for a great race track and puts on a great race.”
What do you enjoy most about Southern California–outside of the racing?
“The weather. Right now, I’m driving around with the top down. I’m all about it.”
What are your thoughts on the new NASCAR rules including the stages?
“I think the stages are great. I think it’s something that’s going to be good for the whole sport. It plays into everybody’s hands. It forces all of the drivers to race hard. It makes every race just as important as the next one. I think scoring points throughout the event keeps your racing hard the whole time. I think that’s all good things for our sport. I’m excited to keep working through it the next few races and understanding the strategy more and more.”
As far as your goals for the season…Are there a certain number of wins you’d like to have?
“Yeah, I want to win the rest of them. That’s our goal. We set high goals. Sometimes if your goal is to only finish second, the best you are ever going to do is finish second. We try to set our goals to win every race.”
For tickets and more information about the Auto Club 400, visit www.autoclubspeedway.com.
