Team Penske’s Joey Logano has some very strong words for superspeedway races. The 2015 Daytona 500 champion has criticized the “broken system” where Cup Series drivers ride around in the back, wait for crashes, and then finish in the top 10.
Logano made the comments during an episode of SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s “Behind the Wheel.” He explained that Team Penske always brings him good cars and that he has been pretty good at superspeedways. He just hates crashing. Logano also said that he doesn’t want to be someone that just rides around “doing nothing.”
💭 “You dread it, eventually. Because you just know it’s coming.”
@joeylogano got on his soapbox this week to share his thoughts on superspeedway racing with @TheMikeBagley and @PPistone.
🗣 “Is that what we want? Is that what fans want to see?” #NASCAR
“Look at all the guys that were running up front in that race, that were doing really, really well,” Logano said. “Where’d they finish? In the freaking garage. And then like you look at the top 10 of these races afterward, and you’re like, ‘They rode around in the back all day long doing nothing! Just riding around.’
“Like, is that what we want? Is that like what fans want to see? I have to really think about that. As a driver in the field, I’ve gotta think, ‘Should I just ride around in the back do nothing all day long and finish in the top 10?’ Might not win the race. Probably won’t win the race doing it that way, but I’ll finish in the top 10. I don’t want to do that. That’s a broken system.”
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Logano Was Involved in a Final-Stage Wreck
GettyJoey Logano (left) was caught up in a wreck at Daytona.
Compared to the other drivers in the field, Logano left Daytona International Speedway with a relatively clean car. He finished 12th overall after rebounding from an incident that also involved Petty GMS Motorsports driver Erik Jones.
This one could’ve been a lot worse!
The early portions of the race made it appear that Logano would contend for the win. He started third and led 14 laps. He also won Stage 1 before finishing fourth in Stage 2 to secure some valuable points. However, the situation changed when Jones got loose, spun to the left, and collected Logano.
This incident didn’t do a considerable amount of damage to the No. 22, but it knocked him out of contention for the lead. Though it may have ultimately salvaged his day considering that all of the leaders crashed after rain suddenly began falling at the superspeedway.
Logano was back in the pack when the massive wreck unfolded and sent the majority of contenders to the garage. He was able to work his way back up through the field and then contend for a top-10 finish after the three-hour red flag delay due to rain.
Logano Previously Made Critical Comments at Talladega Superspeedway
GettyJoey Logano also crashed at Talladega Superspeedway.
The “rant” on “Behind the Wheel” was not the first time that Logano has spoken out about superspeedway races and the number of crashes. He also had strong comments at Talladega Superspeedway after a wreck collected him and eight other drivers.
“It’s superspeedway racing. It happens,” Logano said after exiting the infield care center. “Every time we come to one of these things, cars crash, and they are going to crash a lot more before the end of this thing. And hopefully, everyone is ok and gets out all right.
“That’s just how it works when you come to these things. They just… I mean, they suck. I hate to tell you, but I don’t think the drivers enjoy it. The fans enjoy it and that’s good, but I don’t think there’s many drivers that look forward to it right now.”
The wrecks have disrupted several races, but Logano has also achieved success on superspeedways. He won the Daytona 500 in 2015, and he reached Victory Lane at Talladega Superspeedway three separate times (2015, 2016, 2018). Though he has also failed to finish 16 superspeedway races.
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Joey Logano Has Strong Words for ‘Broken System’ at Superspeedways