DAYTONA, Fla. — Daytona International Speedway is one of the most iconic tracks in the racing world, and Logan Misuraca may know it better than anyone. 

What You Need To Know

  •  Sanford native Logan Misuraca works as a driver at the NASCAR Fan Experience at Daytona International Speedway

  •  Misuraca is studying aerospace engineering at  the University of Central Florida

  •  In February, she ran the Daytona 200, part of the ARCA Main Series, placing 18th

  • The next race Misuraca will participate in is the General Tire 200 at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday

Hundreds of people come to Daytona each day for a thrill.

"We get people from all around the world all around the country that have crazy stories, you get to take for a ride," said Misuraca, an ARCA driver. "The fact that I just get to wake up every morning and just come here and drive all day, it’s great!"

At the NASCAR Fan Experience, drivers like Misuraca take people for a spin for a few laps at the World Center of Racing, but a day's work does add up. 

"Its crazy and, like, to a lot of people it seems like so much," she said. "But by the time the day is over and we've run one, one-and-a-half Daytona 500s it's just like, 'That's it?'"

That experience came in handy as prep to actually race at the speedway. 

"Leading up to Daytona, I didn't even have the nerves set in because I'm so used to this track," said Misuraca. "It's like my backyard — I have more laps here than anyone combined."

Misuraca took her confidence and her many many laps to the Daytona 200 in February as her first time running in the Main ARCA Series.

"I think its just a different feeling being in the car, in the seat knowing you're the only one in there — it's all you," she said. "It comes down to you your skill, you’re in full control. I've always been a control freak so any time I'm in control I do fine."

The Sanford native grew up always wanting to race, with examples set by her father and grandfather. Racing full-time seemed like a far-out dream for much of her life knowing just how expensive the sport is.

While making money working at the NASCAR Fan Experience, Logan is also a student at the University of Central Florida where she is studying aerospace engineering. As Misuraca continues to push to grow her brand, picking up major sponsorships like Celcius and qualifying for the Main ARCA Series, she is eager to pursue her main dream of racing.

"So I was like, 'OK, it wasn't gonna be a reachable goal,'" she said. "And then we got our big break so I was like, 'Engineering to the side, racing coming in. Exactly what i wanna do so lets do it full time.'"

Misuraca says the engineering background does come in handy in racing, as she's able to diagnose what is going on with her car throughout the race. At Daytona 200, she ran into a mechanical challenge and ended up finishing the up-and-down race in 18th place. 

Misuraca said she likes control — she handles her job, her school, and schoolwork, all while staying true to herself. 

"Like I always say, hold your girl, don't change for anybody," she said. "If people are gonna judge you they're gonna judge you. You have people on social media who are like, 'Worry more on your driving than your makeup.' I'm like, 'I do my makeup for me, not everybody else'. Hold your girl, do it for yourself, do whatever you want."

Racing has become less of a traditional boys sport as it grows. Misuraca said a good handful of other women competed alongside her at the Daytona 200. Growing up, she said that sometimes fellow drivers and fans would not always give her the same respect as male drivers. But now her experience speaks for itself. 

"To the level where were at, I think females have such a different respect toward them cause theres so many of them now," said Misuraca. "We have a different respect in the sport and its just kinda gaining that respect too. If you lose that respect they're not gonna respect you."

On a typical day of work at Daytona, Misuraca is greeted by empty rainbow seats in the bleachers. The biggest weekend of racing, which she has seen in her backyard her whole life, was filled with thousands of fans. It was a feeling she said she will never forget.

"I've been here for Daytona 500s for like seven years straight, and I look up there and see the amounts of people, seeing the people walking through the pits and being here," said Misuraca. "Actually showing up and walking my car to grid on pit row, it was kinda like oh my gosh. We’ve made it. We're here! I don't even care how i do in the race we've made it! were good."

Logan Misuraca is racing the General Tire 200 at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday.