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START NUMBER 200: At just 24-years-old, Joey Logano will make his 200th-career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start this weekend when he takes the green flag for the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway. Logano’s Sprint Cup Series career began in 2008, the same season that he broke onto the NASCAR Nationwide Series scene, with his first start coming at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He became a full-time driver in 2009 at the age of 18, winning his first race, also at New Hampshire, and becoming the youngest driver to ever win Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year honors. Through his first 199 races, Logano has earned five wins, 33 top-five finishes, 68 top-10 results and eight poles in the Sprint Cup Series. Of those numbers, three wins, 17 top-fives and 27 top-10s have come in the last year and a half as a member of Team Penske.

OH SO CLOSE AT KENTUCKY LAST YEAR: Logano looked to have one of the cars to beat last season at Kentucky Speedway, but a late-race restart and Jimmie Johnson’s spinning car thwarted his efforts. Logano had lined up fifth on the restart and was making a move when the 48 car spun and Logano had to check up, as he lost several positions. He was able to come back to finish in fourth place.

THE NNS KING AT KENTUCKY: Logano made headlines early in his career by winning three consecutive NASCAR Nationwide Series events over three straight years at Kentucky Speedway. In each of those events, Logano started from the pole. His track record at Kentucky in the Sprint Cup Series hasn’t been quite as successful, with one top-five finish in three starts.

car

Primary Chassis: PRS-903
Last Raced: Darlington (finished 35th)

Backup Chassis: PRS-844
Last Raced: Pocono backup (not raced)

broadcast

Race: Quaker State 400
Track: Kentucky Speedway

Date: Saturday, June 28
Race Start Time: 7:30 pm ET
RADIO Live on PRN & SIRIUS XM NASCAR Channel 90
TV SCHEDULE Friday
10:30 am ET, Practice (FS1)
1:00 pm ET, Practice (FS1)
5:40 pm ET, Qualifying (FS1)
Saturday
7:30 pm ET, Quaker State 400 (TNT)

qa

THIS IS YOUR 200TH NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES START. HOW DO YOU FEEL LOOKING BACK AT THE FIRST 199?

“It’s hard to believe that it’s been 200 races already. It just doesn’t feel like it’s been that many. When you add in the Nationwide Series races and the few Truck starts I’ve had, I started well over 300 races in my NASCAR career. I’ve often answered the question of what I think about my career up to this point. And I will always say the same thing about it. I did start early. And did I start earlier that I should have? Was I ready? Probably not. But it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up and I would do it all again the same way. I learned a lot through my struggles early on and that had taught me a lot that I know today. I don’t think I would be in the position that I am today without those early struggles. I’m just 24 now and I have six years of Sprint Cup Series experience under my belt. There isn’t a lot of people who can say something like that. It’s been a fun ride, so I’m pretty excited to get a chance to continue it on until 600 or 800 starts.”

CAN YOU DUPLICATE YOUR NATIONWIDE SERIES SUCCESS AT KENTUCKY IN THE SPRINT CUP SERIES?

“I think so. We were close last year. But the track is so much different now than it was even when I won all those Nationwide Series races. It’s a lot bumpier now. And the competition in the Sprint Cup Series is just so much better, so it would be tough. I like to think we could do it, but that’s tough to go to a track and win two in a row, let alone three in a row. Especially all of them from the pole. You just don’t see that kind of stuff in the Sprint Cup Series anymore, because the competition has gotten so tough. When there are 20 guys that can win on any given weekend, you can’t expect people to go out there and win two or three races in-a-row anymore at one track.”