“In my mind, I thought that I was not going to be a race car driver anymore,” Logano said. “That was a hard place to be.”
Despite times of uncertainty, Logano’s questions were eventually answered. He found a new home with Team Penske and legendary team owner Roger Penske.
A fresh start gave the then 23-year-old Logano a chance to revive his career.
“I started at Gibbs when I was 15,” Logano said. “So there was a lot of like, ‘That’s little Joey. Joey couldn’t drive to the shop, had to get dropped off by his sister or his mom.’
“So, it’s hard to break that mold. Then, when there wasn’t success, it’s kind of like you’re branded.
“It was really hard to break that cycle for me,” Logano continued. “But walking into Penske as a four-year veteran, been around enough to know what I need in a team and car, and started building that with Todd Gordon (crew chief) over there at the 22.
“They needed some stability, so I was able to bring some of that because I’m not out there doing anything crazy. So that was good.”
Capitalizing on a second chance is easier said than done. Though once Logano entered Team Penske’s stable in 2013, it was like flipping a switch.
A win at Michigan Int’l Speedway in his first year with Penske sparked a streak of 11 consecutive seasons with at least one victory.
Logano’s resurgence since 2013 has been stout — two Cup Series championships (2018 and ’22), a Daytona 500 triumph and 30 victories highlight a laundry list of accomplishments he and the No. 22 team have accrued.
A fresh slate with Team Penske wasn’t all Logano needed. Behind the scenes, the 33-year-old works tirelessly on his race craft, trying to find any advantage he can on the race track with the understanding that he has flaws.
For him, an improved on-track skillset is a mental aspect of racing.
“Some (drivers) are faster than me. Just being honest, I see it,” Logano admitted. “But there’s none smarter than me, is how I feel out there. I’ve had to figure out how to make up that difference. I feel like in a race scenario, whether it’s restarts or passing, those types of things, that’s my strength.
“I’m able to kind of figure out how to make the most well-rounded Joey you can get, inside a race car. It’s super important now, because the field is so close.”
Before entering NASCAR’s 10-week playoff, Logano reflected on his career, which has seen plenty of highs and lows. He was brutally honest when pondering what type of advice he’d give his 18-year-old self.
“There’s a lot. For one, keep your mouth shut,” Logano said with a laugh. “Probably just understanding that, you hear the saying that everything happens for a reason, and God really does have a plan.
“Sometimes you just gotta get through the trenches to get back on track of where you need to be. It’s so easy to say that now, and it’s so hard to live that out when you’re in that moment, no matter what you’re doing in life.
“Like, everyone’s going to be put in a situation in life where it’s just hard. Life’s not easy for anybody,” Logano continued. “They’re different things, your health or kids or your job.
“There’s always something that’s gonna be challenging. But just understanding like you said earlier, trust the process. It’s a very similar thing. And I guess that’s probably what it would be.”
This story appeared in the Sept 20, 2023 edition of the SPEED SPORT Insider.
