CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A celebration of winning ended with a thought-provoking moment from Joey Logano, NASCAR’s newest three-time Cup champion, before he partied to music provided by Shaquille O’Neal on Friday night at the Charlotte Convention Center.
Logano, Xfinity champion Justin Allagier and Truck champion Ty Majeski were all honored Friday night at the NASCAR Awards program.
Car owner Roger Penske, whose teams have won the past three Cup championships, benefitted when Joe Gibbs Racing decided to let Logano go after the 2012 season. Since then, Logano has won 34 races and three championships with Team Penske.
“All I can say is Logano is a winner,” Penske said on stage. “He was a winner when he started.”
Logano admitted earlier in the day that he didn’t feel that way when he joined Team Penske at the behest of Brad Keselowski.
Two years later in 2014, Logano made the first of his six Championship 4 appearances but even then he had questions.
“I was terrified going into that race,” Logano told the media Friday morning. “It was the first time I ever made it. I didn’t think that I could win championships. It was a couple of years after I got to Penske. That means it was a couple of years after I just got fired, so you don’t have a whole bunch of confidence built up yet.”
Logano has grown, learned and succeeded, winning Cup titles in 2018, ’22 and ’24. He is one of only five drivers to win three championships before the age of 35. The others are Jimmie Johnson, Richard Petty, David Pearson and Jeff Gordon.
No driver other than an Elliott or Earnhardt has won the award since 1991.
During his speech Friday night, Logano thanked his team, his family, the families of his team members and talked about the legends who built the sport.
Then the 34-year-old Logano pivoted.
“When I think about what we do on the racetrack sometimes, it’s kind of pointless, right? We drive around in circles just to end up in the same place at the end of day. You kind of think about it, that’s kind of goofy.
“But if you take the opportunity God’s given us to talk to people, to inspire others to live a life of generosity, that’s when these scenarios and driving in circles isn’t just driving in circles anymore. … When you think about (the flooding) in Western North Carolina, I’d say probably at least one person at each table around here probably made a huge impact at some point for the Hurricane Helene victims. I saw a lot of too people up there helping out and that, to me, is probably something that I’m most proud of this industry, being a part of that.”
Chris Gayle takes over for Chris Gabehart, who becomes the competition director at Joe Gibbs Racing.
After the NASCAR Awards, Logano noted that the section was an important to have as he spoke to the sport.
“Perspective is important,” Logano said. “I’ve said that to you guys before, the Cup is empty when they give to you. It’s our job to fill it up as a champion.
“Even the teams that did not win this year, we all come together and we’re an amazing community. That was kind of the point behind that. Yeah, we compete against each other. Yeah, we sometimes … dislike each other, but when people need help, we’re an incredible community.
“ … Maybe that’s me getting older and more sensitive about things. I do become more emotional about things than I used to, but I’m proud to be a part of that.”
Team will continue with the No. 47 car and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Also Friday:
The Bill France Award for Excellence — which is not given annually but only when someone fits the award — was presented by NASCAR Chairman Jim France to retiring Toyota Racing Development President David Wilson.
The Myers Brothers Award, presented annually by the National Motorsports Press Association since 1958, honors those in the sport for outstanding contributions. Greg Biffle was honored for his relief efforts in Western North Carolina for making several helicopter flights to supply areas devastated by flooding.
Chase Elliott was selected as the NMPA Most Popular Driver Award winner for a seventh consecutive year. Justin Allgaier won the honor in the Xfinity Series, and Rajah Caruth won the award in Craftsman Truck Series.
