Joey Logano makes feelings clear on Stephen A. Smith after First Take appearance
Joey Logano appeared on ESPN's flagship debate show, 'First Take,' this week and the Cup Series star has made his thoughts known on Stephen A. Smith.
Joey Logano went head-to-head with Stephen A. Smith on ‘First Take’ this week, and the three-time Cup Series champion says he would relish the opportunity to do it again.
The flagship ESPN debate show is among the biggest platforms in American sports, and it is typically dominated by NFL and NBA coverage.
It is a stage rarely reserved for motorsports, but Logano gleefully took the opportunity to promote the sport he adores on a national platform.
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The 35-year-old discussed topics from NASCAR’s international potential after last week’s race in Mexico City to being inspired by seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady.
Reigning Cup series champion Logano even gifted a bottle of champagne from one of his four victories in 2024, and the Team Penske star would be more than happy to return to the show in the future.
He believes exposure on platforms like ‘First Take’ is crucial for NASCAR to grow its popularity in different demographics.
“I mean, if they invited me on again, I would do it again. That would be fine with me. I don’t think [Smith and I] were ever not buddies, but it was cool,” he said at his pre-race press conference ahead of Sunday’s race at Pocono Raceway.
“The media tour stuff we did this week and other drivers have been doing lately, it’s all good stuff reaching out to areas we typically wouldn’t be, so it’s all good.”
Logano has had a sluggish start to the season by his very high standards, occupying ninth place in the Cup Series standings. With one victory and just two top-five finishes to his name in 16 starts, he is 193 points adrift of Cup Series leader William Byron. Logano qualified in 12th place in the No. 22 Ford for The Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono on Sunday.
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It is a track where Logano has had limited success, with just one victory in 29 starts at the Pennsylvania circuit. That sole victory came in 2012 when he was competing for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Logano summed up the challenge during his ‘First Take’ appearance, where he said: “It’s not one of our strongest tracks at the moment. Last year, we finished fifth there, which wasn’t too bad, but it’s a challenging track.
“It’s actually shaped like a triangle. It’s not a typical oval that we race on or a road course or something like that. It’s a 2.5-mile triangle and every corner is different, so trying to set up the car to be good in every corner is hard to do.
“You’ve got to compromise. It’s like a marriage, you’ve got to compromise a bit here and there to be good all the way through that track.”
