NASCAR mailbag: Why is Joey Logano involved in so many altercations with other drivers?

Each week SB Nation’s NASCAR reporter Jordan Bianchi answers your questions about the latest news and happenings within the sport. If you have a future mailbag question, email jordanmbianchi@gmail.com.

I’m not a Joey Logano hater like almost everyone, but there’s no denying he seems to have a knack for pissing off fellow drivers. Counting Kyle Busch, how many drivers has he made upset now? And also, isn’t it time for him to start changing his ways, it doesn’t seem like he can keep acting like this over the long haul?

--Jack

Undoubtedly Logano has been at the center of several notable confrontations since moving to the Cup Series full-time in 2009. That list includes run-ins with Kevin Harvick (2010), Ryan Newman (2010), Tony Stewart (2013), Denny Hamlin (2013), Matt Kenseth (2015), and now Busch (2017). And not surprisingly in most instances Logano’s aggressiveness has been the catalyst for why his competitors have taken exception with his driving, including Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Hamlin, Kenseth, and Busch.

However, while Logano may be a lightning rod, this doesn’t mean he should modify his behavior for the simple fact that it works for him. Only Jimmie Johnson (20) and Harvick (16) have more wins than Logano since 2013 and that go-hard style has propelled him into a perennial championship contender. Sure, it may result in the occasional post-race fracas, but if that’s the tradeoff, then so be it.

What’s interesting about Logano is that despite possessing qualities fans like to see — a winner who’s aggressive and unapologetic — he is among the most derided drivers by fans. Each week he’s greeted to a chorus of boos during driver intros and anytime he’s involved in an incident, he receives a bulk of the condemnation even if he’s not at fault, such as on Sunday where Busch should’ve shouldered as much of the blame if not the majority.

But if you think Logano is at all bothered by the scorn he receives from fans, think again. When asked by SB Nation in January what he thought about the vitriol expressed toward him, he said he actually relishes it.

“I secretly love it,” Logano said. “Don’t tell anybody. In all honesty, yeah I would rather be loved than hated but I would rather them say something than nothing.”

I agree with you that drivers fighting isn’t a bad thing and is part of NASCAR’s culture. But what I wonder is what about a driver’s sponsors, I can’t image M&M’s being too happy to see their driver walk up to someone and punch them in the face. Do you think there will be any repercussions?

--Jim

The sponsor side of the equation cannot be ignored. It’s not a coincidence that as NASCAR expanded and became a national sport that attracted an array of Fortune 500 companies, many drivers began showing a reluctance to say or do anything controversial.

Looking at from the perspective of Mars Inc. (M&M’s parent company) it’s easy to comprehend why it doesn’t want one of its most prominent spokespeople engaging in antics that may reflect poorly. A segment of fans may be drawn to the rougher edges of big-time stock car racing, but having a pristine public persona matters to many businesses that are marketing products toward families and kids. Image matters.

As for whether there will be any fallout, it’s unlikely. The company released a statement regarding Busch’s actions, but this cannot be viewed as anything more than a public slap on the wrist. After some noted missteps earlier in his career, including a one-race suspension in 2011, Busch has been a good representative who’s avoided any major controversy and evolved into a driver any company would be happy to support. Don’t expect that to change because of one transgression that came in the heat of the moment.

Everyone always talks about rivalries in NASCAR, so is the Logano vs. Joe Gibbs Racing the best rivalry going right now?

--Jeff

When you take into account Logano was involved (though not to blame) in an accident that broke Hamlin’s back, caused the normally mild-mannered Kenseth to become so consumed with vengeance he was willing to employ underhanded tactics to extract revenge, and enraged Busch to the point he stalked down pit road with the sole purpose of smacking Logano in the face, yeah, it’s fair to say the Logano-JGR feud is certainly deserving of the top spot.

But let’s also be honest: there isn’t much long-lasting contentiousness among drivers nowadays. Any budding rivalry is usually stymied before things escalate, either by NASCAR, which doesn’t want the sport to delve into WWE, or by the drivers themselves who understand it’s in their best interests to squelch any lingering hard feelings. Thus why it’s not surprising that Logano said on FS1’s RaceHub on Tuesday that he already reached out to Busch to discuss what occurred at Las Vegas.