NASCAR Cup Series champion, Joey Logano, stopped by The Bobby Bones Show to talk about almost missing the birth of his third child to compete in the Cup Series Championship, the cost of his race helmet, the race prep he does and more!
Logano found himself in a tough spot during the first race of the season, the 2022 NASCAR Clash, earlier this year. He was trying to decide if he was going race or possibly miss the birth of his daughter. The race was in Los Angeles and they live in North Carolina, so it wouldn’t be a quick journey home. He did what any smart husband would do - he told his wife to tell him what to do. She told him when he left that he was already out there and committed to the race and his team and she would be fine. He did make a deal with his wife that if he won, he wouldn’t do media if she was already in labor. Two days later when he got back after winning the race, she gave birth.
Logano has a bit of a reputation of not being liked in NASCAR. He explained it’s not about being nice, it’s about winning the race. It’s true in all sports, when you get into a competitive environment, the athlete must flip a switch and become selfish in order to win. He said that’s all that matters in that moment. He knows it might be hard for people to understand that he becomes a different person while he’s competing, but he turns it off once he’s off the track. The passion for sports is one reason why he loves it so much. When someone is passionate about their team or athlete, they naturally don’t like the competition because they don’t want to lose. Altercations with other drivers are going to happen, especially when you’re competing against the same drivers every week. He admitted he reacted in the wrong way to it when he was first getting started, He began his professional racing career at 18-years-old and wanted to earn respect. But he learned to earn respect, you have to give respect, but also stand your ground. He feels he’s learned how to balance it now and doesn’t get involved in fights anymore, mainly because he knows his son can watch it on YouTube now. He’s learned there’s better ways to handle it.
Many people are vocal about wanting to race at the Nashville Fairgrounds again since it’s so historic. Logano agrees and would love to race there again. He likes that it’s not far from downtown Nashville. He’s seen that when races come to big cities, there’s a much larger turnout. He thinks more people would get into NASCAR if they had the opportunity to go to a race and fully get into the experience.
Bobby Bones asked if he ever zones out while racing? He said no, when he’s in a race car it’s so intense and you’re pushing yourself and the car to the limit. He’s so focused he can’t think of anything else or even come close to comparing it to driving a regular car. In fact, it’s so intense for the over three hours he’s inside the car, he loses weight during the race. There’s no AC inside the car so it gets extremely hot and he sweats a lot. The only way to prepare is to train for it like any other athlete would before a game. He makes sure to stay hydrated and eat correctly. Every driver finds their own way to prepare for the race. Logano only feels confident if he does all the preparation himself. When he does, he feels he can positively impact his team the most and help himself the best.
His wife said it best, “When you’re on your death bed, do you want people or trophies there with you?” He wants both. His reasoning is no one will care years from now you won a championship. But if you do something with your win, it can make a positive impact on people that will last for generations. That’s why he created his foundation, The Joey Logano Foundation, which invests in organizations offering second chances to children and young adults during times of crisis. He said if you win and don’t give back, those trophies are just empty cups.
Some other fun facts we learned about Logano and NASCAR are: A professional racing helmet costs about five or six grand when it’s all said and done. Logano is 6’2 and his car is made to fit him. He explained how they build your NASCAR driving seat around you to perfectly mold your body.