Logan Misuraca worked ardently to return to the driver’s seat, this time with Rev Racing’s No. 9 Clean Harbors Chevrolet at Bristol Motor Speedway. (Photo: Holden Barnes | The Podium Finish)
BRISTOL, Tenn. — Since the summer of 2003, Logan Misuraca has dreamt about being a competitive racer. Coming from a family of racers at the local levels in Florida, Misuraca, who once aspired to be a ballerina, opted for a helmet, firesuit, gloves and racer’s shoes at the age of four.
By the time Misuraca was seven, she was like most young racers, making the next NASCAR race into appointment television. It was clear, thanks to her father, Dennis, and grandfather, that she would pursue a career in the driver’s seat.
Along the way, Misuraca, who continued to dance until she was 18, made her presence known in quarter midgets, go-karts and asphalt legend cars. From a young age, Misuraca learned the business intricacies of stock car racing at the age of 20.
When Misuraca was 21, she was tabbed as a last-minute replacement racer for Josh Williams Motorsports’ No. 60 Chevrolet in an ARCA Menards Series East race at New Smyrna Speedway, one of her home state tracks. Starting sixth, Misuraca raced to an impressive seventh place finish.
Last year, Misuraca raced for for Spraker Racing Enterprises No. 63 entry in three starts. In three races, Misuraca’s best effort was in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway, qualifying ninth and placing 18th.
Following Misuraca’s final ARCA start at Pocono Raceway, the Sanford, Florida, native worked ardently to return to the driver’s seat. Prior to practicing for Thursday’s Bush’s Beans 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway, the amiable racer observed how prepared she was for this long awaited moment.
“I’ve just been way over ready to just get back in the car,” Misuraca said. “Any race that we’ve tried to do this season, it’s either rained out or we’ve had to like move it, postpone it, and then it got too low close to Bristol to where I was like, I don’t want to focus on anything else. I need this Bristol race to go perfect because I feel like it’s really a lack of it. It’s really the first race I’ve had a true opportunity in amazing, proven equipment.
“I’ve had all this time to prepare with an amazing partner on hand to really go out there and show what I’m capable of doing, especially in short tracks, which has always been my forte. It’s where I have my track championship, my rookie of the year status. So I’m kind of going back to like the roots of it, but still on the big stage. So I feel like it could kind of be the perfect combo of everything of how it goes.”
Misuraca prepared ardently for Thursday’s race in every way possible before logging valuable laps in the No. 9 Clean Harbors Chevrolet entry fielded by Rev Racing.
Logan Misuraca efficiently found her groove at Bristol Motor Speedway in Rev Racing’s No. 9 Clean Harbors Chevrolet. (Photo: Holden Barnes | The Podium Finish)
“We just got a brand new simulator in from Podium 1,” Misuraca shared. “Some people may have seen it, but it sits on a D box and it shifts with the car so you can actually feel in your seat when the car is loose and tight. So that’s been a vital portion to my training at home to where I can just like actually stay in the seat without it costing me an arm and a leg and obviously staying in the gym trying to just stay with it more mental focused this time, just really making sure I’m staying as calm as I can. And I don’t really freak myself out too much.
“And I know with NASCAR Racing Experience, where I do the ride alongs at the tracks, they actually hosted an event at Bristol Motor Speedway last month for the Speedway Classic announcement with the Atlanta Braves and the [Cincinnati] Reds doing a game. So I was able to give ride alongs to customers there. I was physically on the track driving a race car. Maybe not at ARCA speeds, but that definitely gave me a little bit of edge to where I’m not going in there completely blindly. So that has been a huge, huge help.”
Naturally, Misuraca familiarized herself with her ride not only from a preparation standpoint but with her driver’s seat.
“The team, on the other hand, has been amazing, making sure that I am fully down to the quarter of an inch fitted in the car to the most comfortable position I could possibly be,” Misuraca said. “We’ve had sim training out at GM’s Tech Center. We’ve done a lot of debriefs over and over again. We’ve been sending film back and forth since.
“I know this year we’re not running with resin on the track, so it’s a first time in the past. I think it’s almost been 9 or 10 years since they’ve done that. So watching film from all the way back then to try to see how the passing correlates to whatever happened last year with the car power that we’ve had in the more previous years. So it’s been a weighing of both. But we’ve definitely done our homework on this race.”
99% of Racing is The Business, 1% Is Just Going Out, Going Fast and Turning Left
For those unfamiliar with the motorsports industry, racecar drivers may seem singularly focused on just driving as fast and efficient as possible with their firesuit, gloves, shoes and helmet. After all, it is the most visible actions seen on television, a mobile device or at the track.
In Misuraca’s case, it is more than just about being like Ricky Bobby on the track. Her latest opportunity developed from her marketing appearance with a reputable company in the stock car scene.
“So Clean Harbors actually came on as a partner two years ago because they are actually the umbrella company for 56 other businesses,” Misuraca shared. “I just kind of created just a very strong partnership with them behind the scenes of not actually even being a decal on the car, but creating a driving suit, going to appearances, really proving what I can do for their brand first. And it was at our appearance up in Boston we did earlier this year in March, and I just shot a test shot in the dark. I was like, ‘Hey, we should really put Clean Harbors on the car for Bristol.’
“And I didn’t even have to ask twice. They’re like, ‘Done. Let’s do it.’ So I was like, ‘Perfect.’ I called Rev Racing and after a lot of conversations with them, they were eager to do it. And it’s always been a dream of mine to run for Rev.”
Misuraca’s journey may be relatable to those who have pursued their dream opportunity and had to work ardently to earn that opportunity over time rather than in an instant.
“I’ve applied for the Drive for Diversity program when I was younger [and] I always wanted to be involved in Rev, so it’s kind of a whole full circle moment, even though I’m aged out and too old to be actually in the program,” Misuraca said. “It’s still a very good cause that I support, especially being like, it’s literally a team that promotes diversity and everything that I’ve stood for. So bringing those two into together at my dream track has really made this the most incredible opportunity for me.”
Logan Misuraca chats with Doug Rice of Performance Radio Network prior to racing in Thursday’s Bush’s Beans 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway. (Photo: Holden Barnes | The Podium FInish)
Even before Misuraca suited up and familiarized herself with Bristol’s concrete lines, her mind was on the business aspect of her latest ARCA Menards Series East start. Throughout the weekend, Misuraca made appearances in the fan zone to engage with fans, the aspect of motorsports that goes beyond the interactions.
“I’m just horrified for the third party things which I know I shouldn’t be, so I had to take a lot of time to just rethink mentally on how to take over those situations,” Misuraca said. “I know what I’m capable of doing, but especially with the business aspect of things. 99% of racing is the business and the 1% is just going out, going fast and turning left. And it’s just such a hard economy these days to where you have to justify such an incredible amount of money and then make it worth for these people, because it’s not just, ‘Oh yes, you pay me this and you’re going to have a decal on the car.’
“There’s so much more that goes into it. You try to justify even me personally, I can’t go out and ask a sponsor for some of these prices that people throw out there, unless I’m like, and I’ll just be there and I’m like, ‘OK, well, I can do this for them for basically free on my point. I’ll also throw in this and throw in this,’ because I can’t even justify it sometimes to where I’m like, ‘I’m so sorry, but I’m going to do all of this for you on my end to where I make sure that I know that you’re getting your money’s worth in marketing.’ So it’s been a little bit of that. And then obviously cold emails, you know how that is.”
In Misuraca’s case, she is getting valuable experiences in the world of business not in a classroom, but in a real life situation to further her racing dreams.
“I’ve definitely focused this year more on making connections, meeting more people, networking more, and just making sure I keep myself out there,” Misuraca said. “1 In a Million, my mental health foundation, has become such a huge portion of the year, and making sure I stay mentally good up here, regardless of what those people say.”
I’m a Racecar Driver, You Can Treat Me Like One, Like You Treat One of the Guys
As Misuraca can attest in the past 21 years, racing has been more embracive toward women and people of color. Pairing up with Andres Perez de Lara of Mexico City and Lavar Scott, one of three Black racers in a NASCAR-related series, Misuraca turned to her young teammates for advice and input at “Thunder Valley.”
“I feel especially because the sport has come so like such a long way and being able to go out there and showcase [that] this is a monumental moment and we have me, Andres and Lavar,” she shared. “We are all very close and we have helped each other so much when it comes to Bristol. I’ll have Lavar in my ear, Andres in my ear, talking to me about certain lines on the track to watch out for because they’ve done Bristol in the past, so I haven’t physically raced there.
“So they have that extra edge on that portion of things, because I can run iRacing times for days and be like, ‘Nope, I’m going to win this race, no problem.’ But then it just takes that little pebble in the track to make a little bit of a difference. So we’ve all helped each other, and I think that’s just such a great thing to embark on in the sport, is that such a diverse group of racecar drivers have helped each other to what’s about to happen, and then the results are just going to show for it.”
After Misuraca’s No. 9 entry was unloaded from the hauler, she posted the 18th fastest time in practice. She was quicker than 16 other drivers including the likes of Marco Andretti, an Indianapolis 500 veteran.
In qualifying, Misuraca posted a sub-16 second lap to start 13th for the 200-lap race. With each lap, the Floridian showcased her confidence, poise and determination to drive to a solid result.
Before clambering into her car, Misuraca mulled over her opportunity with Rev Racing and her hopes with her start.
From the dance floor to the stock car world, Logan Misuraca is living the American dream. (Photo: Holden Barnes | The Podium Finish)
“Yeah, I’m definitely looking forward to it. And I think with the years to come, hopefully, fingers crossed,” Misuraca said. “We never know what happens. We didn’t even know what was going to happen this year. There was no way of telling.
“And so I think for the foreseeable future, especially having that relationship with the team, regardless if there’s no other races with Rev, I know I will always have their support and their contact and like to help me in whatever I may need. But hopefully we stay where I would like to call home.”
Prior to Thursday’s race, Misuraca had to wait 426 days from her prior ARCA start at Pocono Raceway to her return to the stock car scene at Bristol. Much like athletes like A’ja Wilson, she was not afraid to share her candid thoughts, even the raw ones that are rarely heard.
“I definitely think since my last race, which was Pocono, that was the most taxing result that I think any driver should have to handle,” she said. “You go out there, you put so much time and effort into doing this and money behind it for it to only last four laps. Then, you’re taking such a toll on not even just your personal, mental [state] where you’re just like, ‘Can I even do this? Am I even capable of doing this anymore?’
“And I think I just had to get out of that rut of what happened and thinking, ‘Oh, you’re the world’s worst driver. You shouldn’t be at this stage. You should not be in NASCAR.’ It took me a bit to be like, ‘No, Logan. Look back at what you’ve done. You’re a track champion, you’re rookie of the year. You’ve gone out there on your very first ARCA start, qualified sixth, finished seventh. You can do it. The odds just weren’t working for you. Especially with Bristol being my first and only one that’s on the schedule for this year and hopefully more to come, it’s been weighing on me even more, knowing I got this one shot in my brain to show what I actually am capable of, because now I have all the variables working with me, and I know I’ve done my personal point on doing it.”
Despite only being 25, Misuraca channels a bit of an Alan Kulwicki mentality of wanting to do things the right way while inspiring others with her journey.
From her 1 In A Million initiative to appearances for Clean Harbors in a major market like Boston, Logan Misuraca understands the complexities to compete in stock car racing. (Photo: Holden Barnes | The Podium Finish)
“I prize my brand on just being myself, being fully transparent with people,” she explained. “And I think that’s just such a beautiful thing, especially with such a journey that you would look at and be like, ‘Oh my gosh, she’s a professional NASCAR driver’ to people. You think that’s an untouchable and unreachable thing. I pride myself in just showcasing to my fans and my followers [that] I am extremely personable.
“I want to talk to everybody. I will tell you every ounce of anything that’s going on in my life if you just ask. I’m a very transparent person. I’m an open book. I’m not going to put on some fake show or persona that I need to look some other way when I know I look some way. And I always love to just be an open book for people. So I’m just that relatable person to where people can be like, ‘Oh, if she can do it, I can do it too.'”
One of those inspirational moments transpired at a short track race for Misuraca earlier this year. In this case, it was a special connection that reminded her of why she is still embarking in her career quest to compete regularly in stock cars.
“I had a race this year and one little girl, she was about somewhere between 7 and 9. She came up to me and she’s just like, ‘Hey, I’m from your home state. I race at the same track that you raced at when you were my age, and I’ve been following you for so long. Can we take a photo together?'” Misuraca recalled. “And it is a moral victory. It’s like, ‘That is why I do what I do.’
“I also do it for myself because you’re allowed to do things for yourself too, but also just for the younger generation to look at you in such a manner, it’s kind of like, ‘Wow, I am doing something that is great no matter how it may make me feel.’ Sometimes, people look at it in such a higher light to where it kind of brings you back down to really appreciate what you have.”
Young girls like the one Misuraca interacted with inspire her to keep realizing her dreams. Even after a difficult result at Bristol that was not indicative of her effort, patience and maturity behind the wheel, she did not wallow in pity.
Instead, she took a moment to realize how far she has progressed, remembering she was like the fan she met at the race. In the process, she realized how unique her experiences have been while connecting with others who want to embark on their dreams, regardless of their age or circumstances as her selling points to following her career.
Logan Misuraca had pace matching the frontrunners in Thursday’s Bush’s Beans 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway. (Photo: Holden Barnes | The Podium Finish)
“I try to be so relatable and I am relatable,” she said. “I was that little girl that just grew up in the average household, with the average wealth and the average lifestyle that has exceeded so many people’s expectations and thoughts of what I could accomplish and become what I what I am now to where you could be anybody and you can get to where you are. If you’re 4, if you’re 20, if you’re 60, you can exceed anything from any sort of starting point.
“My starting point wasn’t a lot of these people’s starting points. A lot of these people had a little extra edge. I just love people. I love to talk to people. You guys can always come talk to me, and I can promise you that as a new NASCAR fan, if you are a new NASCAR fan, your girl has done her homework and I won’t let you down and you won’t think I’m just one of those other pretty faces. And I’m not just in this for the t-shirt, like a lot of people like to say. I promise you, I do my homework on the outside and you could see that all everywhere I try… I’m trying.”
Whether it is Bristol or Daytona, Misurca has done more than her homework, marketing experiences, appearances and payment of dues to make the grade. She learned at a young age that one of her first loves was going to be one that was born after her years of showcasing her footwork on the dance floor.
“You’re not going to be a ballerina, I’ll tell you that,” Misuraca said with a smile. “I always thought, especially when I was 3 or 4 years old, getting into racing, it was just more looked at as a hobby for me. I wasn’t open to the realm of knowing that NASCAR could actually be a career because my dad raced, my dad’s dad raced, but they raced on like the hobby level. Like we just went out, had a fun time, went home and he went to work on Monday and so I never really saw that side.
“So I never took it as a career. But I was a dancer my entire life. I was in competitive dancing, so 3 or 4 year old Logan was still thinking she was going to be a professional dancer. And little did you know, you grew up a few years and said ‘Absolutely not’ to the dancing, and you put all your heart and soul into racing.”
Editor’s Notes
Special thanks to Logan Misuraca for sharing her latest thoughts and progress in her racing journey. In addition to The Podium Finish, be sure to follow Logan via her official website and on social media platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok now!
