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Rising NASCAR Driver Logan Misuraca, and the ‘Moral Victories’ That Fuel Her Racing Career

Neha Dwivedi
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Who Is Logan Misuraca & How Did She Affect Connor Zilisch’s ARCA East Championship Hopes?

Logan Misuraca, who competed part-time in the ARCA Menards Series driving the No. 9 Chevrolet for Rev Racing at Bristol Motor Speedway, comes from a racing family. So the assumption had always been that she would get into stock cars. But early in life, she had dreamed of becoming a ballerina.

However, her family’s racing affinity and the pull of the sport shifted her trajectory. By age four, while she didn’t completely trade ballet pointe shoes for a helmet and racing shoes, she started taking more interest in cars.

Misuraca continued dancing until she turned 18, while also building her résumé in quarter midgets, go-karts, and asphalt legend cars. In 2022, as a 21-year-old, she was tapped as a last-minute substitute for Josh Williams Motorsports in the ARCA Menards Series East race at New Smyrna Speedway, one of her home tracks.

Starting sixth, Misuraca brought the No. 60 Chevrolet home seventh, the best finish of her ARCA career to date. When she later ran Spraker Racing Enterprises’ No. 63 Chevrolet at Daytona, she finished P18.

Misuraca’s recent two Bristol attempts brought P27 and P25 results in back-to-back seasons. Those outcomes sometimes leave her wondering whether she gets the same opportunities as others or whether she is falling short somewhere.

But whenever doubt creeps in, she reminds herself, “No, Logan. Look back at what you’ve done. You’re a track champion, you’re [the] rookie of the year. You’ve gone out there on your very first ARCA start, qualified sixth, and finished seventh. You can do it.”

Misuraca’s connection to the sport and its fans keeps her coming back, even when the scoreboard doesn’t reflect her effort. An ARCA start, even just one, means far more to her, and to many who follow her, than a finishing position ever could. After her Bristol race in 2024, she spoke about a moment that stayed with her.

“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.’”

Misuraca takes pride in inspiring young girls who want to break into a sport that remains male-dominated. Danica Patrick helped carve the initial path, but Misuraca and the next generation feel responsible for keeping that momentum alive so that female racers can push the door open wider.

The 24-year-old admitted that she races for herself, but meeting young fans like that one fuels her resolve. Even after a tough day at Bristol that didn’t mirror Misuraca’s hard work or patience on track, she refused to dwell on disappointment. Instead, she took a step back, appreciated how far she had come, and recognized a piece of herself in the young racer who asked for that photo.

About the author

Neha Dwivedi

Neha Dwivedi

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Neha Dwivedi is an experienced NASCAR Journalist at The SportsRush, having penned over 5000 articles on the sport to date. She was a seasoned writer long before she got into the world of NASCAR. Although she loves to see Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch win the races, she equally supports the emerging talents in the CARS Late Model and ARCA Menards Series.. For her work in NASCAR she has earned accolades from journalists like Susan Wade of The Athletic, as well as NASCAR drivers including Thad Moffit and Corey Lajoie. Her favorite moment from NASCAR was witnessing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. win the championship trophies. Outside the racetrack world, Neha immerses herself in the literary world, exploring both fiction and non-fiction.

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