Joey Logano went out and won his third NASCAR Cup Series championship at Phoenix a week ago. So, what about life after racing? At 34 years old, no one is expecting Logano to hang up his helmet any time soon, but could he exit the sport early with all that he has accomplished?
Kevin Harvick is a newly retired driver. He spoke with Joey Logano on his Happy Hour podcast after the championship. What is the next step for Logano?
Drivers are getting into ownership roles, like Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski. Others are investing outside of the sport.
“Retirement’s a real thing, right?” Logano said, trademark smile on his face. “An afterlife of the sport is something that will hit me at some point. That’s why I think ther’s a few things to this. That’s why I think your family is so important because when we’re done with this sport, within three years you’re forgotten about, maybe even quicker. I think.
“If you don’t have people with you that you love and you did this with and you have those memories, that’s what you’ve got at the end of the day. And the sport will go on, and I hope it goes on without me, like it needs to go on without me. But it’s kind of sad if this is all you have, like if this is all you are is NASCAR racing, and that’s gone it’s lonely. Quick, I believe. I don’t know that, but I assume that’s what it’s going to be like.”
I can’t say that Joey Logano is exactly wrong about what he said.
Joey Logano wants to prove he can do more
A driver like Hamlin wants to invest back in the sport. It is his life and how he defines himself, largely. Of course, he is a father and more than a driver, but his competitive side takes over.
Joey Logano might not be the same. It seems like he wants to do more than racing.
“I like trying to prove to myself that I’m not just a one-trick pony, I feel like I hit the cheat code in life being a professional athlete,” Logano explained. “Like, you know, I didn’t make it in business, I’m a race car driver, I drive in freaking circles all day long. That’s the cheat code, for sure. I like to prove that I can do more than one thing and I think I’ll always have to have a job after racing. What that is, I don’t know, right? Is that in a race team? Maybe. Is it in NASCAR? Maybe. Is it in TV? Maybe. Is it something completely out of the sport, I don’t know.”
Joey Logano has more going on than what he does behind the wheel. I suspect he will continue to invest in things outside of NASCAR.