What makes a driver the best in the world? The ESPY Awards, set for July 16, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, aim to answer that question with their Best Driver category. This year, NASCAR’s Joey Logano is back in the spotlight, marking the first Cup Series driver nominated since Kyle Larson’s win in 2022. Since its debut in 1993, the ESPY Best Driver award has celebrated racing’s elite, with NASCAR drivers dominating the tally at 19 wins. Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson lead with four each. Formula 1 drivers, though less frequent victors, have claimed it five times, most recently with Max Verstappen in 2024.

Nominees are selected by the ESPN Select Nominating Committee and decided by online fan voting since 2004. The award is meant to honor the year’s top performer. But Logano’s inclusion alongside IndyCar’s Álex Palou and Formula 1 stars Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen has sparked outrage among fans who question whether ESPN truly understands racing or if they’re just chasing headlines. Yet, as Logano’s nomination stirs debate, fans are left wondering. What really drives these picks?

Sure, Logano’s $1 million bonus from NASCAR’s inaugural Driver Ambassador Program, earned through media gigs, autograph sessions, and promo work, shows he’s a champ off the track. But the ESPYs are about what you do behind the wheel, and when you stack his 2024 stats against Palou’s smooth precision or Verstappen’s flat-out dominance, the grumbling starts. NASCAR’s playoff format might’ve crowned him king, but does that really make him the best, or just the luckiest at the right time?

Joey Logano’s 2024 NASCAR season ended with a championship, bolstered by four wins and 13 top-ten finishes. Now, put this in comparison against peers like Ryan Blaney (three wins, 18 top-tens) and Kyle Larson (six wins, 18 top-tens), and the gap is evident. NASCAR’s playoff system, which rewards late-season surges, secured his title, but his average finish of nearly 17 raises eyebrows.

Compare that to the competition. IndyCar’s Álex Palou notched two victories and 13 top-five finishes in 17 starts, averaging an impressive 2.65 finish. In Formula 1, Max Verstappen’s fourth consecutive title came with nine wins, nine poles, and 23 podiums in 24 races, an average finish of 2.96. And fast forward to the ongoing Formula 1 season, Oscar Piastri has dazzled with five wins by mid-June. Against these benchmarks, Logano’s nomination feels like a stretch to many.

Fans have made their feelings clear. As one redditor commented on the post. “Not even trying to hate, but Logano being in the same conversation as Verstappen and Palou is another prime example that demonstrates NASCAR’s championship ‘system’ is extremely flawed. He wasn’t even a top-5 driver last year. Also shows that ESPN knows nothing about NASCAR.” 

The fans see nominees like Palou, with his consistency, and Verstappen, with his all-time F1 haul, as more deserving of ESPN’s spotlight. With nominations locked in and no mechanism for reversal, many in the garage feel ESPN has prioritized marquee names and championship titles over season-long excellence. One thing’s for sure: fans aren’t letting this slide quietly. They are left wondering. What really drives these picks?

Fans speak out: Frustration and skepticism

“Don’t really care about the ESPYs, but I would laugh if Logano wins.” This sentiment underscores a broader skepticism: many NASCAR fans view the ESPYs as out of touch with the sport’s nuances. After all, Logano’s playoff-focused triumphs mask a regular-season record (only one race win) that pales next to drivers like William Byron, who notched seven top-5s and two wins before sanctioning playoff cut-offs.

Another fan lashes out on ESPN. “Doesn’t make sense, but it’s ESPN, so I’m not surprised, they probably think he actually dominated last year.” Here, fans point to a disconnect between perceived dominance and raw statistics. Logano’s average finish of 17.11 in 2024 leaves room for critique compared to Palou’s 2.65 average finish in IndyCar or Verstappen’s 2.96 across 23 podiums.

The nomination process itself fuels the fire. “I’m assuming they just picked him because he is the reigning champion, right? I usually never watch the ESPYs, but I am excited about Shane Gillis hosting it,” a fan speculated. Gillis, a comedian known for his edgy humor, will host the 2025 ESPYs, adding a twist to the event, but it’s Logano’s nod that’s stealing the show for all the wrong reasons. Is it the title or the stats that matter?

“So we have the guy on track to be the F1 champion, the best race car driver around today, that damn Spaniard, and would’ve been 12th in points had it not been for the playoffs.” This digs at NASCAR’s playoff structure. Alex Palou’s two-peat IndyCar titles and 13 top-5s contrast sharply with Logano’s playoff-reliant climb. Fans cite Palou’s clear-cut season-long consistency versus perceived NASCAR gimmicks.