Former NASCAR play-by-play announcer Doug Rice believes the overwhelming hate for Joey Logano is “undeserved.”
Logano started his NASCAR Cup career in the late 2000s. Mark Martin placed huge expectations on him as a young talent with the nickname “Sliced Bread,” which refers to the phrase ‘the best thing since sliced bread.’ But his aggressive driving style created several rivalries, especially during the early years with drivers such as Matt Kenseth, Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick.
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During a recent episode of the Fast Talk podcast, Rice shared that the reaction toward the three-time Cup Series champion has gone too far.
“He won some championships, rubbed people the wrong way. And from day one, before he ever got into a car, Mark Martin hung that sliced bread label on it. And it stuck. And people resented that,” he said.
“It just feels undeserved. I’ve just seen what other drivers have done to maybe earn that. I don’t get that for Joey. And I’m not going over to Joey’s house for a barbecue anytime soon.”
Kenseth was one of Logano’s biggest rivals. Their 2015 feud reached a boiling point at Kansas Speedway, where Logano spun Kenseth late in the race. Two weeks later, Kenseth intentionally wrecked Logano at Martinsville Speedway and received a two-race suspension.
His rivalry with Truex also became heated in 2018 at Martinsville, when Logano made the Championship 4 and eventually won his first Cup title. His three championships have not always matched expectations. The 2024 campaign was another inconsistent regular season, but Logano won the championship after entering the postseason on Alex Bowman’s disqualification.
But Logano’s even-year championships could make a comeback this season.
Joey Logano eyes another even-year championship after second 2026 Cup win at Richmond
Joey Logano’s current form has brought back a familiar late-season surge. The No. 22 Ford driver struggled badly early in the season and fell to 20th in the standings after Sonoma. He had only two top-five finishes through the first 18 races.
But he turned his season around over the next six races and moved to ninth in the Cup Series points standings with two races left in the regular season. Logano’s recent Cup win at Richmond Raceway last weekend came after he won Stage 2, led 95 laps and held off Chase Briscoe. It was his second victory in four races, following his win at North Wilkesboro.
The next two races on the Cup Series schedule are at New Hampshire and Daytona.
Edited by Palak Gupta
