The well-coordinated coming-out party for Joey Logano has included selected media appearances on NASCAR's TV partners. While Logano has done well on shows like RaceDay, Trackside and NASCAR Now, Tuesday night brought a new challenge.
This time, ESPN has sent a crew from the sports magazine show E:60 to open-up Logano's life away from the track and introduce his family as well. It was reporter Tom Farrey that drew the assignment of spending time with Logano. Interestingly enough, even for a cynical news reporter, one got the feeling that Farrey had a blast.
"Hype isn't nothing, you have got to live up to it," said Logano of his Nationwide Series debut. Paraded around like the second coming, Logano was realistic in understanding the challenges of an 18 year-old in a national NASCAR series race. "I'm also glad I did," he said smiling as the footage of his victory rolled by.
"He was way better than anybody else," said Mark Martin of the first time he saw Logano. "He was way better than any other 14 year-old that I'd ever seen in the country."
It was Logano's parents who were most effective on-camera talking about their son. This was a normal couple who had never been involved in racing and after seeing the talent of their son, had decided to make a change to focus on him. Apparently, its working.
"I'm one of the most competitive people in the world." said Logano. "Show me a good loser and I'll show you a loser. I don't like losing at whatever it is, I get mad. I'm a nice, mellow kid until you get me in a competitive situation."
Farrey got a ride from Logano in a Richard Petty Racing Experience car and came through unscathed. When asking Logano if he really knows how fortunate he is, the correct response came back. "I know I'm a lucky person," Joey answered.
E:60 reported that Logano's parents spent over a million dollars supporting the racing activities of Joey up to this point. They related that he was home-schooled and basically has always had exactly what he needed to get to this point.
Farrey's parting question to Logano was if he could be the best driver ever? "I'll try and let you know," said Logano smiling. That seemed like a fair way to close the interview. This program re-airs at 11:30PM ET on Thursday.
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13 comments:
Not sure I'm going to be a Logano fan. He's another rich kid whose very wealthy parents spent at least a million dollars to get him where he is at 18. I prefer a driver who has had to work on his own cars, get his hands dirty and earn his way into the top ranks of racing. Logano is very talented and will undoubtedly be successful. But I believe there are dozens of young drivers just as good as Logano who don't have and probably never will have the money to get where he is today. Is that Joey's fault? Absolutely not. So I wish him luck but mostly likely I won't be a fan.
Time will tell if I can support Logano. There is no doubt that Logano has a lot of talent. However, IMO, he is too arrogant. He lost me as a fan when he blamed getting in a wreck in the NW series on losing track positions due to a bad pit stop that caused him to have to race "with the trash".
Hi Diane :)
I definitely understand that :). That's why I love the "old school" drivers because that's how they came out. They didn't become "stars" until their mid-30s and even then it wasn't easy. These days, they're barely potty-trained and are already in top rides.
They had to know how to fix their own cars since it was often the family car. And if for some miracle they had a separate car they didn't have any "boyz at the shop" building them a fleet of cars. They were the "boyz at the shop". Many could do work on a car blindfolded (not literally of course but you know) they've done it so many times...many of the drivers today wouldn't know what to do with a tool box.
That's why I love Mr. Morgan. He has a handful of folks trying to help him and while he doesn't contend for wins, he gives it all he has :).
@anon 1:24--I don't remember hearing that comment :(...definitely a shame :(
Logano made those remarks after the June NW race in Nashville. It was Logano's SECOND NW race. Oh...and the "trash" that Logano ran into was Biffle. Logano also called the cars that were running at the back of the pack "junk".
IMO, Logano has not been racing in NASCAR long enough to have the right to call other competitors "junk" or "trash".
WOW! Glad I missed this show after reading the comments here. I had no idea Logano was just another spoiled rich kid.
Frankly, I AM SICK of hearing about him already and really bummed my HOME DEPOT jacket this winter will have folks think I am rooting for this kid. Such arrogance.
Also, I don't care IF you are the best thing since sliced bread (anybody else sick of that) It's time NASCAR started making drivers earn their stripes as opposed to buying them.
Don't you miss when they used to share stories about the struggling guys and might mention folks over 30 or dare I say, gasp! 40.
too bad Humpy's show got only one showing. Logano could learn from some of the older guys.
slowly losing interest Sophia :(
I believe EVERY driver has made comments that they wish they could retract after they wrecked out of a race. I am not going to hold that against him since if that were the standard we wouldn't have any driver we could like.
I will not be a fan of his. Just not my type, rich, spoiled, arrogant & getting a seat at 18? Yes I know about KyB, not a hater or a fan.
And since I learned Joey will be in the Shootout & Tony & Ryan won't well I dislike him even more, since he didn't earn that either.
Thanks anon 2:47 :)...truly a shame.
@haus20--true..but they've had more that 2 races under their belts
i would much rather see this sort of media exposure being given to some of the more "tenured" racers out there. logano may, in fact, be "the next best thing" but i don't believe he deserves this level of coverage at this point in his career. he's only run a handful of races so far and hasn't set the world on fire as far as i can see. he certainly has the goods necessary to make it happen -- but not just yet.
what frustrates me is not young mr logano himself: he can't control this overwhelming amount of media coverage any more than earnhardt jr can. i don't hold it against him. what i'd like to see is the media paying more attention to the racers who have paid their dues and are keeping our sport going. these men deserve to be seen and heard to the same level. i'm betting if the media partners did so, these drivers would see a MAJOR boost on their fan base and merch sales!
so: i'm taking a "wait and see" about young mr logano and i really hope the media gives him some breathing room and allows him to live his teenage life outside of the spotlight.
Red, consider who is giving the coverage. The same network who happens to have the rights to the Nationwide and Sprint Cup races.
In a sense this is a promotional piece for their network. They are actually "using" Joey to accomplish their own agenda.
haus20 @ 12:37, i agree: they most certainly are using logano. and, some would say, he/his handlers are using them as well. but as a parent, i would hope that he gets some time to be a kid b/c when all is said and done? that's EXACTLY what he is: a kid, pure and simple. and i've seen more than a few very young phemons crash and burn under the weight of the media monster.
the realist in me knows that this is the way the game is played. the empathetic parent in me wishes it could be otherwise. and the race fan in me most definitely wishes that jgr had waited one more year, put a veteran in the #20 in '09 and let legano build his skills in the n'wide series for a complete year before moving him up. however, it's a business decision and it's been made. i hope they surround him with strong, intelligent, caring folks who will help him maintain some perspective and not allow him to become impressed with the image they're building for him.
Logano is like these pro athletes in other sports who sign contracts for millions of dollars before taking a snap, shooting a bucket or hitting a baseball. I will not be a Logano fan either. Cannot stand these rich, arrogant jerks who think the world spins around them. This kid hasn't won anything of significance, so call me when he makes the Chase, and not until them.
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