Joey Logano is one of the most polarizing figures in NASCAR circles, a driver fans either back passionately or fervently root against. Yet, through it all, he’s maintained a steady hand and a level head.
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While Logano has shown frustration in the heat of battle, he resets with a smile once the checkered flag falls, regardless of the result. His philosophy is that in a sport where losing is far more common than winning, the only way to stay in the fight is to let go and move on.
Speaking with David Kaplan and Ryan McGuffey on The REKAP, Logano laid it out plainly: “You put so much effort into winning and being successful. Unfortunately for us, you don’t win every race. I mean if you could win five or six of them a year, that’s a fantastic season and a fantastic record, but that also means you lost 30 times that year. That’s a lot of hits.”
He pointed out the lopsided odds inherent in NASCAR, saying, “It’s not like other sports where it’s 50-50. It’s a one in 36 chance if you’re going to win this thing. You just unfortunately go through that feeling of loss or failure, if you will.
“You have to become a good loser… To me, the definition of a good loser is somebody that can accept it, take what they figured out, take what you can learn from it, and then move on quickly — that short memory.”
Last season, even after capturing his third Cup Series title, Logano became the target of relentless criticism. Some considered his average finish of 17.11 subpar for a champion, prompting renewed calls from fans to overhaul the playoff format.
But Logano didn’t flinch. The noise never rattled him, nor did it alter his approach — he showed up, suited up, and raced with the same fire. This year also, he’s punched his playoff ticket with a win at Texas, showing his resilience just one week after being disqualified at Talladega for spoiler violations that stripped him of a runner-up finish. He took the gut punch in his stride and bounced right back, proving once again that while the road may be rough, he never lets setbacks steer him off course.
Kyle Larson employs the same strategy as Logano to get over disappointments
After dominating the Kansas race by leading 221 laps en route to his third win of the season, Kyle Larson addressed how he manages to keep his head high despite the setbacks that come his way.
“I have a short memory. My memory has faded…” Larson told reporters. “I do think it’s because I race a lot, I’m guessing. I would say that that’s a big part of me being able to move on quickly from things, whether it’s a good race or a bad race or a wreck or good result, bad result, whatever.”
Still, even the steeliest competitors have their breaking point. Larson acknowledged that if missteps start piling up, even his self-belief could take a hit.
