Home

NASCAR

“You’re Not as Good…” – Joey Logano Reveals the Impact of Early Success on His 15-Year-Old Self

Published 02/17/2023, 10:06 AM EST

Follow Us

via Getty

As enchanting as it seems, success is not that easy to live with. Especially when one finds loads of it during the early years of life. And who other than the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series champion can provide insight into the life of an early achiever? Being the youngest-ever winner in two out of three NASCAR top division series, Joey Logano started his journey to success at the tender age of seven.

Registering his first championship win at the Grand National Jr Stock Car Division in 1997, Logano went on to clinch the 1998 Jr Honda Division Championship as well as the 1999 Late Model Division Championship. And owing to his exceptional talent, Logano was usually referred to as the “next big,” the “next Jeff Gordon” and even the “Sliced Bread.”

However, things turned real when a 15-year-old Logano received three contract offers from Chip Ganassi Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing, and Roush Fenway Racing.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

“I Won’t Take Any Cr*p”—Reigning Champion Joey Logano Reacts to “Villain” Tag

When Joey Logano got a reality check

During the show “In Depth With Graham Bensinger,” Logano admitted that this was something unheard of for a 15-year-old driver, and discussed how it all affected him.

While talking to Bensinger about the effects of early success, the Team Penske driver said, “Obvious(ly) made my head big. Next thing you know, you realize that everyone’s good, and maybe you’re not as good as you thought.”

Although Logano did question his skills during the early years, his current achievements prove how talented the driver is. Being the youngest Cup Series race winner, the 32-year-old is constantly working on adding more accolades to his existing list of achievements.

When Logano wanted to be Jeff Gordon’s worst nightmare

Trending

Get instantly notified of the hottest NASCAR stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

Interestingly, Joey Logano’s early success can be attributed to his goal of being Jeff Gordon‘s worst nightmare. As a seven-year-old kid, Logano was filled with passion as well as aggression that has helped him succeed at the highest level.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

As reported by NASCAR.com, Logano revealed that the Hartford Courant worked on an article about kids racing quarter midgets. And Logano being a 7-year-old kid learning midget in Connecticut, the Hartford Courant decided to interview him.

Explaining what he said during the interview, Logano shared, “And so they asked me a couple (of) questions and I said, ‘I’m going to be Jeff Gordon’s worst nightmare,’ and I was 7 years old racing quarter midgets. That was my goal.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

WATCH THIS STORY: Joey Logano Takes Brutal Dig at NASCAR For Kurt Busch Snub – “Especially when he got hurt…”

It is clear that Logano still carries this fiery energy every time he is behind the wheel. And after 15 years in the sport, if not Gordon, there are many other drivers who might see Logano as their worst nightmare ever.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Devyani Sharma

533Articles

One take at a time

Devyani Sharma is a NASCAR Author at EssentiallySports. Having completed her postgrad in English Literature, she has worked as a content writer for a while now. With over three years of experience in the field and hundreds of articles published on the web, Devyani has now associated with EssentiallySports to start her journey in the world of sports journalism.
Show More>

Edited by:

Nischal Kandpal