Q&A

WITH JOEY LOGANO

The 11-year-old race car driver

 Logano, 11, who moved from Middletown, CT to Georgia two years ago, won his first quarter-midget Grand National championship in I997 and repeated in '98 and '99. He won the Bandolero Bandits Division National Ttitle in 2000, became the youngest (9yrs.) to compete in a Legends car, and later became the youngest (10 yrs) to win a Legends event . In 2001, Logano won the Bandolero Division Championships at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, NC. He became the youngest (10yrs) to compete in an Allison Legacy car and the youngest driver to wear a HANS head and neck restraint device in competition. Logano spoke to Courant Staff Writer Shawn Courchesne about his experiences:

At what age did you start racing? 6. How did you get involved? I just wanted to do it. I saw racing on TV and I wanted to try it.

What do you enjoy the most? The competition.  I mean, I like the speed, the speed is fun, but I like the competition the most. Even if I'm not going fast, I like to race against people and beat people.

What does racing teach you that you can use later in life? I think it definitely teaches me how to drive a car better on the streets when that comes. It also has taught me a lot about how cars run and how to make things faster, I guess even if you don't end up [racing], learning all of it helps if I should ever be a crew chief or something like that.

Who has inspired you and why? Jeff Gordon. He's always been my favorite, and I really want to be just like him. He's awesome. He tries so hard and does so many things ... I want to race against him someday.

Best memory: I don't think that's happened yet for me. Probably will be in the future when I really start to make it.

Biggest disappointment: The wreck I got in in my Legacy car at Costal Plains Speedway (in Jacksonville, N.C.),

Hours spent each week practicing or in competition: Depends on what we have on the schedule. It's a lot, though.

What do you feel you have missed by being so devoted ? Nothing, really. If I felt that way I would just do different things. I have home schooling and I really like that. I don't feel like I'm missing anything by not going to school.

What its your life like outside of racing? I think it's pretty normal. The home schooling I guess isn't what most kids have, but it would be hard with all the racing we do for me not to have home schooling. I play hockey in the winter and that's something I have fun doing.

How much are you willing to sacrifice for racing? I don't know. I don't feel like I have to give up anything that I want to do to race. I guess that could change, but I don't really know the answer to that.

Have you ever felt like quitting? Not yet. Do you feel pressure to perform? No. My parents don't push me to do anything. I do this because I want to do it. . What's your ultimate goal? Pretty much to make it to the [NASCAR Winston] Cup series as a driver. It would be just amazing. I like being involved with racing, but mostly I really want to be a driver.

If you don't reach that goal, how will you feel? It really wouldn't be bad. I know that it's hard to make it to Cup and become a great driver, so I don't really worry about it. If I can be in racing somehow I would be happy. It doesn't have to be as a driver. I would like to be a crew chief, too, if I couldn't be a driver.

Finish this sentence: In 10 years, I want to look back and say I accomplished ... Everything there is to do in racing.