Logano's win could be the confidence boost he needs

For a struggling young driver, there is nothing quite like beating one of the best to boost your sagging confidence.

That's what Joey Logano is counting on after holding off Kyle Busch, his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, to win last Saturday's Nationwide Series race at Nashville Superspeedway.

Joey's Jam

Joey Logano needed a boost and he got one in Nashville as he held off teammate Kyle Busch for the victory.

• Complete story

Race Video

• Logano's new guitar
• Busch, Edwards reaction
• Pass for the victory

To say Logano's rookie Cup season has been a struggle is a massive understatement. Sure, most folks figured it would take some time for him to settle in as the replacement for long-time JGR driver and two-time Cup champion Tony Stewart in the No. 20 Toyota. But no one expected Logano to be hanging on at 35th in points after the first seven races.

His best Cup finish of the season was 13th in the Shelby 427 at Las Vegas. But he has finished 26th or worse in every other race, including 30th or worse in five of those.

No one expected those kinds of early results, especially Logano. Despite being only 18, this is a kid who has always excelled in whatever machine he's been asked to jump in.

No experience in NASCAR's new car? No problem.

No experience on several of the tracks where the grueling 36-race Cup season unfolds? He'll figure it out.

Well, you know what? Many of us were wrong. He is human, and it will take some time. No one, including Logano, can jump right into one of NASCAR's new cars and go to tracks where he's never raced and expect to run up front right away with the likes of Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and, well, Kyle Busch.

Logano is living proof of that now, and certainly it was made more difficult for him when NASCAR's new testing rules went into effect last off-season and prevented him from going to many Cup facilities where he never before had raced. (Continued)