Joey Logano, from Middletown, Connecticut returned home to kick off the Inaugural Joey Logano Hometown Showdown at On Track Karting in Wallingford on Thursday, September 18, 2014. The night provided an opportunity for fans to test their racing skills against Joey in a fun competition along with other racers while raising money for a great cause.
Prior to the Hometown Showdown, Logano participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Logano Place. Logano Place is the latest project from The Connection, a Connecticut-based nonprofit that agency helps homeless adults looking to reenter the workforce. It will house 28 homeless adults struggling with behavioral health and substance abuse issues.
Hundreds of individuals gathered at On Track Karting to get the opportunity to meet Logano, take pictures and ask for autographs. Some wore shirts and hats with Logano’s foundation printed on them, while others carried their personal helmets — hoping to have him sign it.
“It’s an honor for me to host this event in Connecticut where my racing career began and give back to the community who helped me get where I am today.” said Logano “I have wanted to do something like this for a long time and seeing it come together is really exciting for me. Thanks to AutoTrader.com partnering with us for the event it has become a reality.”
Thursday’s event featured adult and junior division team-based races, a silent auction, and raffles. During the event, guests bid on silent auction items ranging from autographed apparel to pieces of Logano’s past race cars. Participants also competed against one another in the “Dash 4 Cash” race, with first place getting $2,500; second place, $500; and third place, a GoPro camera.
While Logano spent time talking to numerous people and helped the staff set up the different races, Logano also raced against the participants. During the opening heat of the junior division, Logano was battling another driver for first place. As they raced around the track, parents and adults along the fence cheered and took photos.
In the finals of the adult division, Logano led off for the NASCAR team. As with the junior division race, he exchanged first and second places with another driver during his portion of the race.
While the crowd was excited to have the opportunity to meet and talk with Logano, he was glad to return to his home state to give back to the community. For the parents watching the races, they were excited their children were able to participate in a unique opportunity.
“It’s awesome. It’s a great event,” said Kris Foster, whose daughter, Katarina, participated in the junior division race. “The kids are having a blast and the event helps promote racing.”
Foster, who is also the publicity director for the Silver City Quarter Midget Club, added that Thursday’s event will be memorable for the drivers. “And also on the track is Joey. It’s a once in a lifetime event,” Foster said of racing against a professional race car driver. “For them, these are memories they’ll carry for a longtime.”
Source: MyRecordJournal