If you’ve dipped your toes into the world of NASCAR for the first time and scanned Joey Logano’s stats, you might be tempted to believe the 34-year-old’s career has been one long, victorious drive, even in the years he didn’t win the title. Three Cup Series championships by 2024, countless wins, and a reputation as one of the most consistent and clutch drivers on the grid.

But scratch beneath the surface, and you’ll find a story of struggle, never-give-up attitude, and complete character transformation. For a driver once touted as the greatest prospect to ever grace NASCAR, Logano’s early years in the Cup Series were anything but smooth. In fact, they were incredibly humbling—thanks in large part to his underwhelming first stint at Joe Gibbs Racing, as the man himself explained.

“They were just driving away”: The Joe Gibbs years

In an interview with Greg Olsen, Logano reflected candidly on his early years. “At a young age, I don’t want this to come across wrong, but I didn’t lose much. I would just show up and win,” he admitted. By the time Joey Logano reached the NASCAR Cup Series, he had amassed an enviable track record. As a junior, he was nothing short of extraordinary, winning regional championships as early as age 7 and dominating the NASCAR Camping World East Series with five wins and a championship in 2007. By 18, he was the youngest-ever winner in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He earned the nickname “Sliced Bread” because people believed he was the greatest thing since.

But when Tony Stewart left Joe Gibbs Racing to start his own team in 2008, an 18-year-old Logano was thrust into the No. 20 car—a seat with a championship pedigree. “I felt like it was going to be fine,” he recalled. “It was going to be easy for me. And I failed. I jumped in that thing, and the guys that I thought couldn’t drive a lick were whooping my a–. They were just driving away.”

Logano’s tenure at JGR was a stark contrast to his meteoric rise through the ranks. Despite a couple of wins, his first four years in the Cup Series were marred by inconsistency and underperformance from a driver that was expected to take the racing world by storm and redefine the history books. The transition from dominating junior series to competing against seasoned professionals was a reality check. “Everyone’s got the talent,” Logano explained. “When you get to the top, everybody is amazingly talented. The amount of experience and the work ethic I had was not there.”

After four seasons and just two wins from a car that was expected, at the very least, to fight for the title if not win it, JGR made the tough decision to let Logano go. It was a crushing blow for the young driver. “I went through the first four years of my career and learned how to lose for the first time,” he said. “By the end of my contract, I was seeing progress, but it wasn’t good enough. And they told me, ‘We don’t have a ride for you anymore’.”

Team Penske: A career defining second chance for Logano

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As one door closed, another opened. In 2013, Joey Logano joined Team Penske, a move that would change his career trajectory forever. “By the grace of God, the 22 car opened up,” he said. Under the guidance of Roger Penske, Logano found not just a team but a home.

“I walked into the doors there at Team Penske 12 years ago now and haven’t left,” Logano shared. “I was able to really build a team around me and to have a second chance to come in as a 22-year-old instead of being a 15-year-old—that’s a big difference.”

This second chance came with lessons learned from his JGR days. Logano reinvented himself, focusing on work ethic, collaboration, and resilience. “I wasn’t doing stupid things. I was going to do anything Roger [Penske] asked me to do. I was never going to say no to anybody.”

The results were nothing short of spectacular. Logano won his first championship in 2018, followed by another in 2022, and clinched his third in 2024. He’s become one of the most consistent performers in NASCAR, proving that early struggles can lay the foundation for long-term success. “Those first four years were the most important years of my life,” Logano reflected. “I didn’t realize it at the time because it was awful. But that’s when you learn the most about yourself—in the trenches.”

Perhaps the most striking part of Logano’s journey is his perspective on failure. “I wish I had lost more earlier in my career,” he admitted. “Learning how to lose and how to work at your craft is so important.” For Joey Logano, his journey to being a champion taught him an invaluable lesson: It’s not about always winning; it’s about figuring out how to get back up.

From a prodigy who struggled to understand the concept of loss at the top level to a three-time champion who leads by example, he’s proof that even the brightest talents must weather storms to shine.