NASCAR Mission 600: Joey Logano Flies F-16 Ahead of Tribute to U.S. Armed Forces

Team Penske star Joey Logano received quite a different ride compared to his Ford Mustang this week at the Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina. The two-time Cup champion was a part of the Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Mission 600 campaign. The promotion pairs NASCAR drivers with regional air force bases to create hype for the Coca-Cola 600 race on Memorial Day Weekend.

In the base, Logano met the aviators and soldiers of the U.S. Air Force’s 20th Fighter Wing. Following a tour around the base and learning its history, the Team Penske driver got to the most exciting part of his day. He was fitted with a flight suit, a helmet, and a G-suit before being put into an F-16 alongside Lt. Col. Daniel “Rage” Trueblood. What followed was a 90-minute flight experience that he would remember for a long time.

“Today has been incredible,” he said after the flight. “To get to meet the men and women who fight for our freedom is always an honor, but then when you get the chance to fly in an F-16, that’s just dream-come-true territory, for sure.” The leadership at the base was equally thrilled to have someone like Logano visit them. The publicity helps recruitment purposes, according to the 20th Fighter Wing’s command chief.

Logano notes the similarities between the Air Force and NASCAR

Before getting into the F-16, Logano spoke to the media about what he viewed as the similarities between the Air Force and NASCAR. He said, “There’s a lot of similarities to racing. From what I’ve seen so far, the team aspect for one is definitely there. The preparation of whatever the mission is ahead of them. The pursuit of perfection is here from every aspect.”

“All the way through the whole team each individual job is expected to do at the most elite level. You see that similar in sports and in NASCAR racing.” Where the driver saw the difference was in the purpose of these two fields. He acknowledged that drivers like him weren’t doing much to change the world. He also noted that the result of things going wrong in a race car was much less severe than what could be encountered in an F-16.

The Coca-Cola 600 weekend will be between May 24 and 26. Notably, Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson will be making his attempt at completing the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day during the time.