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Logano to be youngest driver to ever start 500

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Joey Logano has some pretty big shoes to fill

When Joey Logano climbs into the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota for the 51st running of the "Great American Race," on Sunday, Feb. 15, he will make history as the youngest driver to start a Daytona 500 – NASCAR's biggest, richest and most prestigious race.

If Logano, who will be 18 years, 8 months and 22 days old on the date of this year's Daytona 500, can get the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota and his Joe Gibbs Racing team into Gatorade Victory Lane in his first Daytona 500 start, he will surpass Jeff Gordon as the youngest driver to win "The Great American Race." Gordon won his first Daytona 500 back in 1997 at the age of 25.

"I went down there last five or six years and I've had to watch from the sidelines and to be involved in it (this) year is really exciting," Logano said. "There's just so much history there and to be able to be on the same track that so many legends have won at is really an honor. It's Daytona and that's the Daytona 500. Even though I've never run in the race, I know how much of a big deal it is."

Logano began racing at age six and signed on with the Joe Gibbs Racing driver development program back in 2005. In three short years, Logano already posts an impressive resume of racing accomplishments including a 2007 Camping World East Championship and a 2008 win at his ARCA/REMAX Series debut at Rockingham.

Before Logano suits up for the 51st annual Daytona 500, he will first compete in a rare "Daytona double" on Saturday, Feb. 7 when he races in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 ARCA/REMAX Series season opener and the Budweiser Shootout All-Star race.

In addition, Logano will participate in Daytona 500 Qualifying Presented By Kroger on Sunday, Feb. 8, the Gatorade Duel At Daytona on Thursday, Feb. 12 and the Camping World 300 NASCAR Nationwide Series season opener on Saturday, Feb. 14.

"I'm doing it," Logano said of his busy DIRECTV Speedweeks 2009 schedule. "I'm running both races (ARCA and Budweiser Shootout) and then I've got the Nationwide race with the GameStop Toyota and then running the Cup race with the Home Depot Toyota. Between all that, I've got my hands full."