The 2024 NASCAR Cup Champion recently stepped into the fray to share his two cents on the contentious Open Exemption Provisional, joining the ranks of Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Corey LaJoie, and Daniel Suarez who have expressed their disapproval. However, unlike some of his peers, while Logano understands the rationale behind the rule, he finds himself in a dilemma.
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In a conversation with Bob Pockrass, Logano articulated his mixed feelings: “I know why we’re doing it, I get why we’re doing it. I can make sense of that in my mind. But at the same time, I don’t know if that has to happen at this league, like this level.” He suggested that such measures might be more appropriate for lower levels of competition, such as short-track racing.
Yet, what complicates matters for him is: “It [the new entry car] doesn’t get points, doesn’t get any money. But it can still win the race. Then that gets kind of like weird too. So you won the Daytona 500, but really the guy who wanted the Daytona 500 second, but not really because he didn’t get the trophy,” indicating the complexities and potential inconsistencies the rule introduces at the height of stock car racing.
Joey Logano is conflicted on the new provisional rule that puts Helio Castroneves automatically into the Daytona 500. @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/kVFwxfOcyR
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 10, 2025
The understanding leads Logano to reflect that he is conflicted despite understanding NASCAR’s motive behind the same. But he also reflected that the duels and qualifying ahead of the races are for a reason. Hence, while he is still not sure if he likes the OEP rule, he does understand it.
Logano’s previous take on the inclusion of international drivers
Previously, when discussing the inclusion of international drivers in prominent events like the Daytona 500, Logano expressed that the NASCAR talent pool does not require validation by beating drivers from other motorsports to affirm its excellence or superiority. He recognized that the inclusion of these drivers serves a broader purpose and acknowledged the beneficial impact that international racers could have on NASCAR’s global appeal.
He noted that whether the drivers come from IndyCar, F1, or the Supercar Series in Australia, their participation draws fans who might not typically watch NASCAR. He explained that it brings those fans who may not watch NASCAR racing and say, ‘Well, I’m gonna watch because this guy is in there. I want to see how he does against the NASCAR guys.’
Noting the slight shift in the stance of the three-time NASCAR Cup champion, it would be interesting to know his take on the same after the main Daytona 500 event.
