Challenges Faced by Joey Logano: Obstacles and Turning Points

A closer look at the defining struggles that shaped Joey Logano's life and career.

Joey Logano is a professional American stock car racing driver. He currently races full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, piloting the No. 22 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Team Penske. Logano's career includes participation in other NASCAR series, such as the Xfinity Series and the Craftsman Truck Series. He also has experience in the ARCA Menards Series and its East and West divisions.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

2003: Intense Dogfight and Wreck at Auto Club Speedway

In 2003 at Auto Club Speedway, Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin had an intense battle leading to a wreck on the last corner as they drove side by side. Kyle Busch slipped past to take the victory. Hamlin fractured his vertebra in the crash. Tony Stewart confronted Logano after the race, resulting in a physical altercation. Logano was scored in 3rd place.

January 2008: Toyota All-Star Showdown Disqualification

In January 2008, Joey Logano was disqualified from the Toyota All-Star Showdown for crashing into Peyton Sellers on the final lap.

September 5, 2008: First Sprint Cup Practice Appearance

On September 5, 2008, Joey Logano made his first appearance in a Sprint Cup car at Richmond International Raceway during practice for the Chevy Rock & Roll 400; however, he did not qualify for the race due to weather conditions.

2009: Early Career Starts and All-Star Race Fan Vote Win

In 2009, Joey Logano finished fourth in his first Gatorade Duel and became the youngest driver to start the Daytona 500, though he finished last due to a crash. He had three finishes of 30th place or worse in his initial Sprint Cup Series starts, and finished thirteenth at Las Vegas. In April 2009, Logano achieved his first top-ten finish at Talladega with a ninth-place result and later led nineteen laps at Darlington, also finishing ninth. Logano won the fan vote for the 2009 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, finishing eighth.

2011: TV Appearances and Food Challenge

In 2011, Joey Logano appeared in the A&E series The Glades along with Carl Edwards and other NASCAR drivers. During the year, he also participated in Man v. Food Nation, taking on the Atomic Bomb Challenge at Sticky Lips BBQ in Rochester, New York, but he lost the challenge.

2011: Struggled through the 2011 Season

Joey Logano struggled through the 2011 season, achieving only four top-five finishes, six top-ten finishes, and two pole positions, which resulted in a career-worst 24th-place finish in the final points standings.

2012: Missed Playoffs Since 2012

After a series of bad races in 2017, Logano missed the playoffs by one spot. This marked the first time Logano missed the playoffs since his last year with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2012.

May 2014: End of Winning Streak at Dover

In May 2014 at Dover, Joey Logano's four-race winning streak came to an end when Kyle Busch won the spring race. He finished third after being held up by Matt Kenseth.

2015: Reference to 2015 Feud with Kenseth

After a series of bad races in 2017, Logano missed the playoffs by one spot, finishing behind Kyle Larson. Ironically, the driver who benefited from Logano's misfortune was Matt Kenseth, reminiscent of their 2015–2016 feud.

2016: Reference to 2015-2016 Feud with Kenseth

2017: Chaotic and Eventful 2017 Season

In 2017, Joey Logano won the Advance Auto Parts Clash after sneaking through the last lap incident between Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin. At Las Vegas, a collision with Kyle Busch led to a pit road confrontation. Logano's Richmond win was declared an "encumbered" win due to a rear suspension issue.

September 2019: Diagnosis with Alopecia areata

In September 2019, Joey Logano was diagnosed with Alopecia areata, an autoimmune disorder that attacks hair follicles, leading to hair thinning or baldness.

2019: 2019 Season Review

In 2019, Joey Logano made it to the playoffs with two wins. He recovered from a collision at the Charlotte Roval to finish tenth. At Dover, a busted rear axle forced him to the garage early. At Martinsville, a collision with Denny Hamlin led to a spin, though Logano finished eighth. An altercation followed, resulting in a suspension for a tire technician. Logano's title defense ended after the Round of 8. He finished fifth at Homestead, leading non-Championship 4 drivers and finishing every race, along with Ty Dillon.

2020: 2020 Season Review

In 2020, with Paul Wolfe as his new crew chief, Joey Logano won Duel 1 at Daytona. Despite finishing 26th at the Daytona 500 after a collision, he rebounded with wins at Las Vegas and Phoenix. At Bristol, a crash with Chase Elliott allowed Brad Keselowski to win, with Logano finishing 21st. These wins secured Logano's spot in the 2020 Playoffs, where he advanced to the Championship 4 after beating Kevin Harvick at Kansas. He finished third in the championship race at Phoenix Raceway and third in the Championship 4.

2021: 2021 Season

In 2021, Joey Logano led the Daytona 500's final lap before a crash resulted in a twelfth-place finish and Michael McDowell's win. Subsequently, Logano won the inaugural Bristol Dirt race.

2023: 2023 Season

In 2023, Joey Logano started the season with a second-place finish at the Daytona 500 and won at Atlanta, passing Brad Keselowski. Logano was eliminated in the Round of 16 at Bristol after a wreck and finished the year twelfth in points.

2024: 2024 Season

In 2024, Joey Logano began the season with a pole at the Daytona 500 but had a DNF. At Atlanta, he was penalized for unapproved safety gloves and fined US$10,000. He won the NASCAR All-Star Race and US$1 million. Logano won at Nashville and was later fined US$50,000 for spinning his tires near Austin Dillon's pit box. He was seeded ninth in the playoffs.