One of the many reasons why Joe Gibbs was a pro football Hall of Fame coach is because he had the ability for recognize talented players. It appears he has the same vision as a NASCAR team owner.

On Sunday, Gibbs’ latest racing star – Joey Logano – became the youngest driver to ever win a NASCAR Sprint Cup race capturing the Lennox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. For the record, Logano is 19 years, one month and four days old.

While there is no doubt that Logano is a talented young racer, it’s Gibbs who is the real driving force of the No. 20 Home Depot team. The former star quarterback at Santa Fe Springs (CA) High School has been a winner all his life, assembling and guiding groups of people to the highest levels of accomplishments. Included in that list of achievements are three National Football League titles (1982, 1987, 1991) and NASCAR Sprint Cup championships in 2000, 2002, and 2005. For good measure, Gibbs also owns a pair of National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Pro Stock crowns, those coming in 1996-1997.

Unlike Logano, Gibbs wasn’t an ‘overnight success.’ Gibbs worked as an assistant football coach for 17 years at San Diego State, Florida State, Southern California and Arkansas in the college ranks and for the St. Louis (now Arizona) Cardinals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Diego before finally getting his chance as the top kick with the Washington Redskins in 1981. His first Redskin team was a modest 8-8.

Gibbs’ NASCAR team owner debut was also less than successful as his No. 18 Interstate Batteries Chevy driven by Dale Jarrett was involved in a multiple-car crash and finished 36th in the 1992 Daytona 500. Since then, Gibbs has fielded 1,129 more Cup event entries resulting in 72 victories, 317 top-five and a whopping 522 top-10 finishes.

Today, JGR boasts one of the best young line-ups of drivers in all of NASCAR. In Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Logano, Gibbs has three drivers who all now won at the Sprint Cup level. Busch is arguably the best driver in the sport currently winning at will over the past two seasons and Logano’s  victory at New Hampshire Sunday certainly won’t be his last. Only Hamlin seems to be struggling, not winning since the spring Martinsville Cup race over a year ago. Knowing Gibbs, Hamlin won’t go winless much longer.

In each case, Gibbs made the right call bringing the three drivers to the party at the right time. Busch has been lights out since Gibbs stole him from Hendrick Motorsports at the start of the 2008 season and Hamlin has been impressive with 13 NASCAR wins (3 Cup, 9 NNS) since taking over the seat of the No. 20 Nationwide car from Mike Bliss in 2004. Now, Logano has joined the JGR Cup victory lane ranks (he already has three NNS wins), something Gibbs knew would happen when he spirited the racing prodigy away from Jack Roush three years ago.

At the end of the day, however, its Gibbs’ ability to recognize that talent and pairing it with other talented support players that is making Busch, Hamlin and Logano winners. It’s the same formula he used to do the same for Jarrett, Tony Stewart and Bobby Labonte in racing and countless others like John Riggins, Art Monk and Doug Williams in football.

Logano might have been the one in Victory Lane Sunday, but in reality, it’s been Gibbs who has been collecting the trophies all along.

More Gibbs

Just in case you think Gibbs is resting on his laurels, the most recent crop of JGR Driver Development candidates sports two interesting young drivers – 17-year-old Matt DiBenedetto and 16-year-old Max Gresham.

DiBenedetto won the NASCAR Camping World East race at NHMS Friday in the No. 18 JGR car. He’ll make his Nationwide Series debut later this year after he turns 18.

Meanwhile, Gresham finished fifth in his Camping World East debut earlier this year and has been spending his time in the ASA Southeast Series (two wins this year, point leader) until he gets three more starts in the JGR No. 18 NCWE car later this season.

Look for these guys at a NASCAR track near you in less than a couple of years.

Final Score

In case you’re scoring at home, DiBendetto’s win Friday, Busch’s victory in Saturday’s NNS race and Logano’s triumph Sunday at New Hampshire gave JGR a weekend sweep – three NASCAR divisions – three first-place trophies.

We’re betting there were a lot of smiles in the Monday debriefing meetings at JGR.