“I think this was a major mistake,” was Rusty Wallace’s immediate opinion when Joey Logano was signed by Team Penske in 2013. Well, after winning three NASCAR Cup Series titles with the team since then, Logano has proven Wallace’s initial feeling about him wrong in spectacular fashion.
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Following the suspension of A.J. Allmendinger for drug use in 2012, Roger Penske’s racing outfit was in search for a replacement for his #22 car. Sam Hornish Jr. had come in as a temporary fill-in, and his performances was decent enough to hold the team up. So, when it was announced that Logano would take the seat the next season, Wallace was irked.
“Think Sam Hornish has done a great job. I am disappointed in Penske Racing for making this decision. I think it was an absolute sidestep,” Wallace had said on ESPN during the coverage of a Nationwide Series race back in 2012.
“He should’ve stayed in the 22 car and everybody in the garage area’s been saying the same thing. Joey Logano’s a great guy, but Hornish deserves to stay in the 22 car,” added Wallace at the time.
Thinking of how important that decision was to give Logano the 22 in 2013 and the effects it led to
"Sam Hornish should've stayed in the 22 car and everybody in the garage area's been saying the same thing. Joey Logano's a great guy, but Hornish deserves to stay in the 22 car." pic.twitter.com/0id7YXyEQN
— nascarman (@nascarman_rr) November 11, 2024
Fast forward to 2024, things may have just slightly changed for Logano in terms of criticism coming his way. Driving with Team Penske, the 34-year-old sealed his third championship this season. However, many don’t believe he deserved the championship. And they credit luck to have played a huge hand in his victory. Well, if it is truly luck, then should the driver be blamed for it?
Wallace’s take in 2012, much before Logano got a chance to prove his worth with Team Penske, also had a “luck” premise.
Logano’s predecessor, Hornish Jr., had recorded several top-15 finishes in 2012 that could have ended better with a tad bit of luck on his side. His best finish of fifth came at Watkins Glen. Hornish Jr. also had good chemistry with the crew and its crew chief Todd Gordon. Logano, on the other hand, was nothing but a struggling youngster with only flashes of promise shown here and there. Naturally, Wallace was skeptical.
How Logano proved everyone including Wallace wrong
Joey’s four years with Joe Gibbs Racing had been nothing spectacular. His relative inexperience came through regularly. And he seemed overwhelmed struggling to fill the shoes of his predecessor, Tony Stewart.
This is one of the reasons why Coach Gibbs decided to do away with him after the 2012 season. In later interviews, the driver mentioned that getting fired had felt terrible and that he never wanted to experience it again.
However, exit from Joe Gibbs Racing was the best thing that ever happened to Logano. He grew as a driver with Team Penske, eventually winning his Cup Series titles — in 2018, 2022 and 2024.
Three championships and counting, that is. Joey has won 36 races throughout his career and is already described as one of the greatest the sport has seen. And the fair irony: he has more titles than Wallace, whose sole championship came in 1989.
