“He’s so good at what he does, it’s ridiculous”: Joey Logano’s secret weapon at NASCAR Superspeedway
Joey Logano recently revealed the secret weapon that makes him a formidable threat at NASCAR's Superspeedways. Logano attributes his success on these tracks to his spotter Coleman Pressley, with whom he joined forces in 2021.
Long-time friends Logano and Pressley are one of the best driver-spotter duos currently on the grid. It's their deep understanding of each other's thought processes combined with absolute trust that makes them unbeatable.
The #22 Team Penske driver spoke about Pressley in high regard as he said (courtesy Autoweek):
"He’s so good at what he does, it’s ridiculous. It’s so much fun to listen to him and talk to him before the race, the homework that he does, how well he understands the sport."
Logano added:
"I think that’s what’s made us a real threat on the race track is that he knows me. He knows exactly what I’m thinking. He can guide me into the right scenario. Even if he knows I’m thinking in a certain direction, if he sees it’s wrong, before I even make the move, he knows to tell me not to do it. That’s a really valuable thing to have."
The 32-year-old added that Pressley's of understanding of the draft and racing knowledge was "second to none." He reckons that he and Pressley, along with Brad Keselowski and his veteran spotter T.J. Majors, are the two groups that "are the best."
Logano concluded:
"He really just truly understands speedway racing for one, but racing in general."
A testament to their success is their Superspeedway results in 2023. In the season-opener at Daytona, the #22 driver finished second when caution ended the race.
He followed it up with a victory in Atlanta, pulling off a late move on his former teammate Keselowski. The Talladega race was a rare exception where Logano wrecked out of the race.
How did Joey Logano and Coleman Pressley meet each other?
Joey Logano and Coleman Pressley first met each other during Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Summer Shootout Series as kids. While racing in Bandolero and Legend cars, the two developed a 'cordial friendship'.
Their friendship blossomed when they became roommates in their late teens and shared a roof for more than three years in Huntersville, North Carolina. Their long-term friendship continues to this day. Both of them are now married and enjoy spending time together off-track when their families get together.
Initially, Joey Logano and Coleman Pressley were hesitant to work with each other, as they were concerned it would affect their friendship. Pressley previously worked with Brad Keselowski as a spotter.
After Keselowski left Penske, the two discussed working together and Pressley took on the role of spotter for Logano in the 2021 playoff season.
Since then, the two have picked up a NASCAR Cup championship, five victories, 16 top-five, and 28 top-10 finishes. Joey Logano attributed the success to the trust between the two as he concluded:
"Probably no one besides my wife that knows me better than Coleman does."