Logano next big thing in NASCAR collectibles

By Van Cox, Special to NASCAR.COM
August 29, 2008
10:46 AM EDT

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He's been touted as "The Dream." And if you're one of the folks who make a living from the NASCAR memorabilia business, Joey Logano is a dream you don't want to wake up from.

For sure, the next big thing in racing collectibles isn't just around the corner. He's already on the starting grid. Not since the arrival of Dale Earnhardt Jr. has a newcomer generated so much excitement in the NASCAR collectibles arena.

After winning last year's NASCAR Camping Word Series East championship as part of Joe Gibbs Racing's driver development program, Logano moved up to the NASCAR Nationwide Series in May -- just days after turning 18, the legal age to compete on the Nationwide tour. The young hotshoe lived up to his advanced billing by scoring his first Nationwide Series victory in just his third start.

It was recently announced that he will join the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series full time next season in JGR's No. 20 car, the ride Tony Stewart piloted to a pair of series championships.

Simply put, Logano has "can't miss" written all over him.

"Joey Logano is certainly a phenomenal talent, and we're really excited about the fan reaction to the products that we've been able to put out there so far," says Mark Dyer, president and CEO of Motorsports Authentics, which produces Logano's souvenir apparel, die-cast collectibles and other assorted merchandise.

"There is a real appetite for Joey Logano product, and now that he is moving up to Cup next year in the 20 car-one of the legendary rides of the past decade-that hunger for his collectibles is only going to grow."

In addition to his obvious talent behind the wheel, Logano has shown a penchant for connecting with fans to a degree rarely seen with seasoned veterans, let alone a relative newcomer. Recognizing his enormous potential, Motorsports Authentics signed Logano to a licensing agreement last season while he was only 17 years old and still competing in the NASCAR Camping World East Series.

The Next Big Thing

Joey Logano has been heralded by Mark Martin as the next great thing since he was in middle school, and backed it up on the racetrack.

"He's the youngest driver we've ever signed or produced product on," says Dyer. "That's how much confidence we have in him."

That confidence seems to have been well placed. Tim Trout, racing price guide guru for Beckett magazine confirms that Logano is currently one of the hottest drivers in the secondary market.

"Jeff Gordon and Dale Jr. have always dominated the market, but right now Logano is exceeding the levels that the two most-collected drivers are selling at," says Trout. "His Busch East car (720 produced) has topped the Beckett Racing Hot List for the past three months. The only collectibles challenging its top spot are his own Press Pass Signings autographed cards. We currently list that die-cast at $400, and I see it still going up in value as we get closer to his Cup debut."

Logano's collectibility is further evidenced by the fact that every die-cast Motorsports Authentics' Action brand has produced on him thus far has sold out quickly. And as noted by Trout, he is enjoying equal success in the trading card arena, where his Press Pass Gold Signings card (numbered to 50) is selling for up to $400.

While his primary focus is on capturing checkered flags, Logano is understandably enthused about the fact that he is already a major player in the licensed memorabilia business.

"As a kid, I always wanted a die-cast of the actual car I raced," says Logano. "So when the Camping World Series East(Busch East) car came out, it was like a dream come true. They only made around 700, and I got one before they came out. That was really awesome. For me to have the Camping World car that popular and sell that many really quickly was really neat to see. It's cool just to have a die-cast of a car that you race."

Logano appreciates the depth of his merchandising program and takes it very seriously. He plays an active role in the development of his souvenirs and collectibles.

"I always get to see everything that comes out," he elaborates. "Obviously I'm not as involved in that as much as I am with driving the race car. But I try to be a part of it whenever I can."

Indeed he does. In July, Logano paid a visit to Press Pass, where he spent two hours familiarizing himself with the company, its employees, and the intensely creative efforts that go into the production of his much-coveted trading cards. The budding superstar reviewed Press Pass' vast collection of photographs and picked a few images that he personally would like to see on trading cards.

"Having the opportunity to show him how his trading cards get made, and also get feedback from him on the things that he likes, helps build the foundation for a long term relationship," says Heather Maillard, Brand Manager for Press Pass. "Being able to connect with a talented driver at the beginning of his career is very rewarding for us. There is an extremely bright future ahead for Joey Logano."

To get in on the leading edge of the Joey Logano memorabilia craze, check out his merchandise at the NASCAR.com SuperStore.