Joey Logano has spent long enough in the driver’s seat to understand exactly what athletes put their bodies and minds through, week after week, as they try to stay sharp, stay healthy, and stay out of danger in a sport where one bad hit can derail everything.
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That lived experience is why Logano gravitates toward athletes more naturally than celebrities. It isn’t rooted in disrespect for actors, performers, or entertainers. He simply relates more to people who live inside the same pressure cooker he does, and if he had to choose whom he would rather host at a racetrack, he’d pick an athlete without hesitation.
Back in 2018, during Jeff Gluck’s 12 Questions segment, Logano was asked which celebrity he’d be most excited to host at a race. His reaction said everything: a long sigh and a big pause. When Gluck asked if that response meant he wasn’t big on celebrities, Logano admitted as much, then expanded on the nuance.
“Not really. I mean, I think it’s great we’re bringing celebrities to the racetrack, that means there’s a lot of great things that come along with that for our sport… I get excited about meeting people, a lot of times athletes, because I like asking them a bunch of questions.”
Logano explained that his conversations with athletes tend to dive deeper than the usual meet-and-greet pleasantries. He loves discussing how they shoulder pressure, balance their families with the weight of their careers, prepare themselves mentally for competition, and manage the nonstop grind that defines their lives.
As a three-time Cup champion, he sees pieces of his own routine in theirs. That connection makes those interactions meaningful in ways a celebrity drop-in rarely does.
That’s why expanding on whom he would like to meet outside the sports world, Logano drifted back into athletic territory, citing Tom Brady as the kind of person he’d genuinely enjoy talking to, largely because of his loyalty to the New England Patriots. For Logano, the typical celebrity appearance at the racetrack doesn’t offer the kind of exchange he values.
He noted that race day responsibilities leave him little time to socialize anyway. Shaking a hand and saying, “Hey, thanks for coming out,” doesn’t mean much to him when he barely has a moment to breathe between obligations.
He would rather sit down for dinner, ask real questions, and actually get to know someone than engage in the quick thanks for being here routine that never leads anywhere.
