CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A victory celebration ended with a thought-provoking moment from Joey Logano, NASCAR’s newest three-time Cup champion, before partying to music by Shaquille O’Neal Friday night at the Charlotte Convention Center.
Logano, Xfinity champion Justin Allagier and Truck champion Ty Majeski were all honored during the NASCAR Awards program on Friday evening.
Car owner Roger Penske, whose teams have won the past three Cup championships, benefited when Joe Gibbs Racing decided to let Logano go after the 2012 season. Since then, Logano has won 34 races and three championships with Team Penske.
Photos: Red carpet scene at the 2024 NASCAR Awards in Charlotte
The 2024 season concluded with the NASCAR Awards at the Charlotte Convention Center.
“All I can say is Logano is a winner,” Penske said on stage. “He was a winner when he started.”
Logano admitted earlier in the day that he didn’t feel that way when he joined Team Penske at the behest of Brad Keselowski.
Two years later in 2014, Logano made the first of his six Championship 4 appearances, but even then he had questions.
“I was terrified to get into that race,” Logano told the media Friday morning. “It was the first time I made it. I didn’t think I could win championships. It was a few years after I joined Penske. That means it was a few years ago after I first got laid off, so you haven’t built up a whole lot of confidence yet.
Logano has grown, learned and been successful, winning Cup titles in 2018, ’22 and ’24. He is one of only five drivers to win three championships before the age of 35. The others are Jimmie Johnson, Richard Petty, David Pearson and Jeff Gordon.
Chase Elliott wins the NMPA Most Popular Award for the seventh consecutive season
No driver other than Elliott or Earnhardt has won the award since 1991.
During his speech Friday evening, Logano thanked his team, his family, the families of his teammates and spoke about the legends who built the sport.
Then 34-year-old Logano turned.
“When I think about what we do on the track sometimes, it’s kind of pointless, right? We drive in circles to eventually end up in the same place. When you think about it, that’s a bit crazy.
“But when you take the opportunity that God has given us to talk to people, to inspire others to live a life of generosity, that’s when these scenarios and the going around in circles are no longer just going around in circles. … If you think about (the flooding) in Western North Carolina, I would say that probably at least one person at every table here at some point probably had a huge impact on the victims of Hurricane Helene. I’ve seen a lot of people up there helping and that’s probably something I’m most proud of in this industry, being a part of it.”
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After the NASCAR Awards, Logano noted that the section was important to have when talking about the sport.
“Perspective is important,” Logano said. ‘I’ve said that to you before: the cup is empty when they give it to you. It’s our job as champions to fill that.
“Even the teams that didn’t win this year, we all come together and we’re a great community. That was kind of the point behind it. Yes, we compete against each other. Yes, sometimes we hate each other, but when people need help, we are a great community.
“…Maybe that’s because I’m getting older and more sensitive about things. I get more emotional about things than I used to, but I’m proud to be a part of that.”
JTG Daugherty Racing is renamed Hyak Motorsports
The team continues with car No. 47 and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Also Friday:
The Bill France Award for Excellence – which is not presented annually, but only if someone meets the award – was presented by NASCAR Chairman Jim France to retiring Toyota Racing Development President David Wilson.
Presented annually by the National Motorsports Press Association since 1958, the Myers Brothers Award honors people in the sport for outstanding contributions. Greg Biffle was honored for his relief efforts in Western North Carolina for making several helicopter flights to supply areas devastated by flooding.
Chase Elliott was selected as the winner of the NMPA Most Popular Driver Award for the seventh year in a row. Justin Allgaier took home the honors in the Xfinity Series and Rajah Caruth took home the award in the Craftsman Truck Series.
