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“Brad and I sat down when we had an opening, and Joe Gibbs the opportunity,” Gordon said. “He walked in, and I think Roger
didn’t have a full ride for him on the Cup side,” Penske recalled. believed in him – as I did. I looked at it and said, ‘He’s a kid who
“… I sat down with Joey and his dad. There were no agents. It wins more races in the Gibbs’ Busch (now Xfinity) cars at the
was just us sitting down and shaking hands on what we were time than Kyle (Busch) did. So, he’s capable.’ “He just needed an
going to do.” opportunity.”

What they set out to do was simple: restore Their first season together at Team Penske, Logano and Gordon
Logano’s shattered confidence by putting him won only one race. But Logano posted career highs in top-five
in cars and surrounding him with a team that and top-10 finishes – and his average finish of 14.1 was more
would allow him to run up front, win races, than three full places higher than any he had posted during his
and ultimately compete for championships. time at JGR.
By Joe Menzer Of course, it sounds simple. That doesn’t

mean it was easily accomplished. Nor did it From there, he only would continue to get better as he rebuilt his
happen overnight. confidence and became more self-assured on the track. No longer
willing to allow himself to be beat up or pushed around, Logano
The first step was putting Logano with crew instead began developing an aggressive, opportunistic, unapol-
chief Todd Gordon. Over time, they developed ogetic driving style that produced results and at the same time
a trust in each other and a chemistry that earned him a combination of begrudging respect and annoyance
would rival the best driver-crew chief from fellow competitors.
combinations in the business.
He also learned from mistakes he made earlier in his career and
along the way even after coming over to Team Penske. He even
began to look upon his struggles at JGR as a proverbial blessing
in disguise.

“The opportunity to make mistakes is one of the best things that
can ever happen to you,” Logano said. “I made a lot of mistakes
… a lot of mistakes in front of everybody. There were things I
shouldn’t have said or whatever it was.

Right away, Gordon “But there are no regrets, either, because that is what formed me
was impressed with into the man I am today. If it wasn’t for each and every one of
Logano’s attitude. He those mistakes, I wouldn’t be sitting where I am today. I wouldn’t
also was well aware have the people around me, either, that have surrounded me and
that at the time Logano helped me get to where I am today.”
already had won 18
races at the Xfinity lev- Former NASCAR driver and current television broadcaster Kenny
el. So, Gordon knew Wallace has watched every step of Logano’s career closely and
that while Logano had from the unique perspective as one who used to compete against
struggled in the Cup him on the track.
Series, he also under-
stood that the driver “He was thrown to the lions very early in his career when Tony
knew how to find his Stewart suddenly left Joe Gibbs Racing to form Stewart-Haas
way to Victory Lane. Racing. They moved him up awful quick – and on top of that, you
were asking a young kid to step in the place of a legend and a
“I think when he champion,” Wallace said. “All of that adds up to a tall order. Throw
walked in at Team in all the stuff that was said about him even before he got behind
Penske, he owned the wheel of a Cup car, and it was too much. You look back on it

THE OFFICIAL NASCAR 2018 PREVIEW & PRESS GUIDE 17