Joey Logano ready for physical, mental challenge of Coke 600

By May 20, 2014, 7:00 PM EDT
1 Comment

The Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway has many obstacles that can test even the toughest driver.

There’s the extended distance of 600 miles, the additional strain on themselves and their equipment, the pressure to perform on the home track for many in the stock car industry, and the track conditions that can change as race day becomes race night.

Put it all together and it doesn’t seem like there’s really a point in trying to determine which side of NASCAR’s longest race is tougher – the physical or the mental.

Either way, it’s going to take a lot of you.

“The way our cars are set up inside, you have your seat and headrest to help support you throughout these long races, so physically you don’t get very tired – hopefully,” Joey Logano explained in today’s NASCAR teleconference. “Obviously, mentally it’s very straining because you’re in there for four-plus hours running 600 miles at 200 miles an hour.

“It’s mentally straining and it’s very hot in these cars – especially when you’re going into the summer – so the heat takes a toll and it eventually mentally gets you, so you have to physically prepare to be mentally prepared during the race.

“It’s not just the driver, it’s the car and the motor, putting that extra 100 miles on that you typically don’t in a normal race weekend makes it a lot tougher.”

However, Logano appreciates the overall challenge of the 600 enough that he isn’t about to possibly help himself out by calling for it to go to a more standard 500-mile race.

“[600 miles is] the thing that makes it kind of our crown jewel event,” the Team Penske driver said. “That’s the longest race we have of the year – and it feels like it, believe me – but it definitely makes it very rewarding.

“Now if we had to run 600 miles every week, I may have a different answer for you, but the fact that it’s only once a year kind of makes it unique and makes it a fun race…A lot of people put a lot of effort into winning this race, just like they would at Daytona or Indy. I feel like this is next in line behind those two.”

Logano has never won at Charlotte in his Sprint Cup career, but if his 1.5-mile work so far this year is any indication, he’ll have a chance to correct that problem. In three 1.5-mile events this season, he’s earned one win at Texas and a pair of fourths at Las Vegas and Kansas.

Ford Mustang GT3 test has Austin Cindric dreaming of Daytona: ‘I want to drive that car’

By Mar 22, 2023, 2:30 PM EDT
Cindric Ford GT3 test
Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
0 Comments

Austin Cindric wasn’t the “mystery” test driver behind the wheel of the new Ford Mustang GT3 at Sebring International Raceway, but the Team Penske driver desperately wanted to be.

Ford CEO Jim Farley, an amateur sports car driver himself, made the big reveal via a Tuesday tweet that provided the first video evidence of the GT3 Mustang on track.

“I’ve watched the video in question about a million times,” Cindric said Wednesday during a Ford Performance Zoom news conference to promote NASCAR’s first road course weekend of the season at Circuit of the Americas. “Definitely exciting times for sure. I want to drive that car. It suits my experience level and also the relationships that I have.”

Ford will enter the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship next season with its GT3 Mustang, entering a two-car factory effort (that will be managed by Multimatic) in GTD Pro and making customer cars available in the GT Daytona category.

That increases the likelihood of seeing more NASCAR drivers crossing over to IMSA. Cindric has been the only full-time Cup driver in the Rolex 24 at Daytona the past two years, but Ford Performance global director Mark Rushbrook has said the GT3 Mustang will provide more opportunities.

Ford has used its GT4 Mustang as a NASCAR driver development tool in the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge with Harrison Burton and Zane Smith combining to win the season opener at Daytona International Speedway in January.

“We’re excited about the Next Gen car and the new architecture there and the similarities between that car and GT3 and even GT4 cars,” Rushbrook said at the announcement of the Ford GT3 program in January 2022 at Daytona. “We think it’s a great opportunity and to do be able to do that in a 24-hour race and get NASCAR drivers even more time is something we need to consider taking advantage of that opportunity.”

Given his sports car background, Cindric probably still would be in the Rolex 24 regardless. He has eight IMSA starts since the 2017 season opener at Daytona, racing a Lexus RCF GT3 and Mercedes-AMG GT3 in the GT category. The 2022 Daytona 500 winner made his second LMP2 start this year with Rick Ware Racing.

But Cindric’s preference naturally would be in a Ford, particularly with sports car racing enjoying convergence and crossovers in both GT and prototype racing.

“It’s an exciting time in GT racing, just as it is now for prototype racing with a lot of new regulations and manufacturers building new GT3 cars,” he said. “And also the opportunity with WEC (the World Endurance Championship) and Le Mans and how that all lines up for that category of car. It’s definitely an exciting time. I want to be as much of a part of that as possible.”

Though those odds seemingly will increase with multiple Ford entries in the Rolex 24 field next year, Cindric said NASCAR drivers still have to put in the networking to land rides as he has in recent years.

“Now how (the GT3 Mustang) relates to specifically NASCAR drivers and how often they want to be in the Rolex, could it be an influence? Absolutely, as far as the tie-in with the manufacturer,” Cindric said. “But the challenge and the drive and the logistics of getting an opportunity for a race like the Rolex 24 will be just as challenging as it always is to find your one-off ride for the race. At least from my experience, that’s what I still anticipate.”

It turned out the “mystery” test driver wasn’t from NASCAR (Farley revealed the driver to be 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Joey Hand after a fan asked whether it was Joey Logano).

But Cindric believes there could be more Cup drivers — and perhaps himself — behind the wheel of Mustang GT3s in the future.

“There’s definitely more of a pathway than I think there would be before as far as Ford drivers are concerned,” he said. “Hopefully, I’ll get the opportunity to drive that thing. It’s obviously a great looking car. That’s the first box you’ve got to check. And it’s cool (to have) a guy like Jim Farley, no doubt he’s a racer just as much as he is steering the ship for Ford. It’s cool to see he’s just as excited as the rest of us about it.”