Joey Logano, who made his Cup Series debut in 2008, belongs to that generation of drivers who grew up watching the likes of Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson in their prime. And, like any young and passionate fan, he had chased his heroes for… well it was not the selfie era yet, so for autographs. In a 2015 interview, Logano fondly remembered an instance when he “jumped on” Gordon to get one.
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“I thought that was pretty cool. I was at New Hampshire to watch my first Cup race, and we caught him (Gordon) when he was leaving one of those hospitality tents on the way to the golf cart. We were one of those people that jumped on him, like, “Hey, will you sign this autograph for me’? It was pretty cool,” elaborated Logano.
The three-time Cup Series champion finds himself on the other side of the story today. Though his third title came under controversial circumstances last year, there is not doubt that he is one of the greatest drivers in the current generation. And a role model for future talent as well.
Some of those young fans could end up giving him a run for his money soon, much like how he did with his idol, Gordon.
When Logano managed to beat his childhood hero on track
“I had to make sure I stayed calm,” said Logano as he narrated his first NASCAR Cup win on an intermediate-style track in 2014. Till then all his wins were on short tracks and superspeedways. And he beat none other than Gordon to the line at Texas Motor Speedway.
Gordon had overtook Logano as a result of a late race caution. The Team Penske driver then made a relentless charge from P3 to P1, passing Kyle Busch and Gordon, who had taken the lead with a two-tire stop strategy. Logano, 23 at the time, catapulted himself as a championship contender with the win.
“This team has been doing a great job giving me what I need to win these things. To have both Team Penske cars with a win already is big. You can kind of start getting your ducks in a row for (the) Chase. You feel a little bit more comfortable,” Logano had said after the race.
Fast forward to a little over a decade in the sport, Logano has cemented himself as a consistent championship contender in NASCAR’s Playoffs era. The #22 crew’s 2024 championship charge provides ample proof if it.
In the upcoming season, Logano and Team Penske will be back at it again. The driver would be gunning for his fourth title, hoping to match his idol Gordon’s tally.
