With three kids, Joey Logano keeps as busy off track as on track.
CONCORD, N.C. — Even with three Cup championships, more than all but four drivers in NASCAR history, Joey Logano can’t shake the feeling of when he lost the crown in 2014 in his first title race appearance.
“That might have been my only chance to win a championship. “That’s how I felt, and I don’t think I’d feel any different today,” Logano told NBC Sports. “If we lost last year, I might say that might have been my last chance to win a championship. Maybe so.”
Logano has made the championship race a record six times since the series went to a playoff format in 2014 that ends with a one-race shootout for the crown. He enters today’s elimination race at the Charlotte Roval (3 p.m. ET on USA Network) holding the final transfer spot to the Round of 8.
Even with his playoff success — 40.6% of his Cup victories have come in the playoffs — Logano knows there is no guarantee he will make it back to the championship race this year or beyond.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow,” he said. “You don’t know how your cars are going to be. You don’t know how you’re going to be. You might get hurt. There might be a life-altering thing that makes you have to change what you’re doing. Every day could be your last.”
At age 35, Logano is completing his 17th season in Cup — meaning he’s spent nearly half his life racing in NASCAR’s premier series.
While more chances appear likely for Logano to add to his Cup championship total, his focus is not on what could be but what is.
The reigning Cup champion leads Ross Chastain by 13 points for the final transfer spot ahead of today’s race. Bubba Wallace trails Logano by 26 points, Tyler Reddick is 29 points behind Logano and Austin Cindric is 48 points back.
It was a year ago that Logano left Charlotte Motor Speedway thinking his hopes for another driver title were over when he failed to secure a transfer spot.
“I was kind of starting to move on,” Logano said of the time after that race. “I also knew that I was still in the owner’s championship at that point, so I had a lot to race for. I kind of accepted the fact that we didn’t do enough. We had a good day that day … but it wasn’t enough.
“I guess there’s two ways of looking at it, because on one hand it’s everything you work for and everything you want and when the dream dies it’s sad. It sucks.
“But you have keep some perspective on life, which is hard to do when you’re in the middle of (the playoffs). That’s hard to do, but you kind of have to. You’ve got to have some other things going on. Sometimes it helps offset some losses in other ways, which you can also win in some other areas. It kind of keeps you flowing.”
For Logano that is family with wife Brittany and children Hudson (age 7), Jameson (5) and Emilia (3).
While Logano’s focus is on winning a championship, he says a priority remains time with family.
“That’s even more important because you only have a little bit of that before it’s gone, before they grow up,” he said. “That’s always like God, family and work. It’s got to be in that order. That’s how I see it.
“My wife is awesome. My wife understands that these 10 weeks are a little harder than the rest of the year and she does a good job of relieving any kind of stress that would be at home to where when I’m at home, I can enjoy time with the kids.”
As for his kids?
“They couldn’t be more different from each other,” Logano said. “My oldest (Hudson), I can relate to the most. He’s the most like me when it comes to just wanting to drive, over-competitive, has a fit when he loses. He’s me at my rawest form.
“My middle child (Jameson). He’s a complete opposite in a lot of ways but in some ways pretty similar. His interests are a lot different. … And my daughter (Emilia) is just perfect. She’s awesome. She’s the sweetest thing in world. Sassy little thing but she’s sweet, too.
“They’re typical little kids. They do things that sometimes surprise you and sometimes you’re like why are we still doing this? I thought we were past this.
“I don’t think it’s any different than any other home. … They want to play. We try to keep them outside as much as we can. Jameson is out looking for turtles and snakes and frogs all day long. That’s what he wants to do. I’m not touching then, but that’s fine, I’ll go with you.”
But the focus today is on what it will take to advance and move a step closer to a championship. For all that comes with winning a title, few things are better for Logano that giving car owner Roger Penske another series title. It was Penske, who signed Logano for the 2013 season with Joe Gibbs Racing releasing Logano to sign former Cup champion Matt Kenseth.
Penske provided a lifeline for Logano, who has excelled since joining Team Penske.
“I want to (win a title) for him because he’s done a lot for me,” Logano said. “There was nobody else looking to pick me up (for the 2013 season). He’s helped me out in a lot of different ways. He cares in ways that you wouldn’t think that somebody of that caliber, that level, just being that busy and stuff going on, that would even think about the little things that are going on in somebody’s life.
“That’s why I want to win for him. That’s why I want to continue the legacy of what has been built here. … Someone helps you out, what do you want to do?
“If your parents have done a lot for you, what do you want your parents to be? Proud of you. You want them to be proud of what you become and what you’re doing. I just want him to be proud of me.”
Category: General Sports
