“Our fans are spoiled,” said Joey Logano bluntly. The Team Penske racer’s remarks upset plenty of motorsports enthusiasts, even though there might have been an element of truth in his words. Racing isn’t always about glitz, glamour, and cameras as competing in a car at 200 miles per hour can be physically and mentally exhausting. Combine that with fan engagement activities right before a fixture and it’s almost like drivers have to flip a switch to get their game-faces on.

It’s a sentiment that is echoed by Chase Elliott, and Bubba Wallace as well. The duo have shared their unfiltered opinion about giving fans special access to drivers right before a race, a practice that is not followed in other sporting events.

NASCAR Cup Series drivers share their perspective

It’s a debate that has been going on for ages. Does NASCAR give too much access to its fans? Over the years, the sanctioning body has gone above and beyond to minimize track time for drivers, particularly after COVID-19. Instead of a full day in practice on Friday, the sport’s hierarchy has reduced the sessions to just 45 minutes before qualifying. This means that fans don’t have the opportunity to see their favorite drivers up close amidst the sponsorship responsibilities without paying over the odds for special access.

However, it’s not a concept many Cup Series drivers are fond of. Despite winning the Most Popular Driver Award seven consecutive times, Hendrick Motorsports Chase Elliott struggles with balancing racing and fan engagement opportunities. He said on the podcast Rubbin Is Racing, “At least for me, those are two totally different things. Being able to shake hands, be in a setting like this and we can all laugh and have a good time to jumping in the race car, putting the window net up, and then me having to be as cutthroat as it takes today to go and compete at a high level.”

Unlike Elliott, Bubba Wallace hasn’t always had a warm relationship with a significant chunk of the NASCAR fanbase. However, the 23XI Racing driver agreed with his rival and went on to add, “Chase has a point because you get NFL guys come out, NBA guys come out, and they’re like, holy s— you got to do this right before you climb in? Yeah, this is what we do. They’re like, ‘There’s no way we could do this’ and it’s like, yeah.” For many NASCAR fans, meeting some of their favorite drivers is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and they pay a significant amount of money for such access.

While the experience might be disruptive for drivers, especially before a high-stakes race, it’s just part of their long list of responsibilities going into the weekend. Instead of blaming fans, drivers should take the situation up with NASCAR as the sanctioning body has the power to shut down such meet and greets before the race. As the popular saying in Spider-Man goes, “With great power, comes great responsibility” and in this instance, the NASCAR drivers must play the role of gracious hosts to welcome fans with open arms.

Joey Logano shared his unfiltered view about fan access

In many ways, NASCAR drivers are less accessible today than they were a few decades ago. Reduced practice sessions, sponsorship commitments, and safety guidelines mean that racers tend to be in their ‘bubble’ for the most part before a big fixture. However, access can be given to a select few motorsports enthusiasts if they are willing to pay an exorbitant price for the privilege. It’s a concept that doesn’t exist in the NBA or NFL and Joey Logano has been an outspoken critic of the activity.

The Team Penske driver candidly said, “I love our race fans but think about other sports for a second. Think about it. When are you going to meet an NFL player? Can you access an NFL player? Anytime like three hours before a game? No.” Logano went on to say, “But you can meet me 20 minutes, 10 minutes, five minutes before I get into the race car. You can take a picture with me. I am there. And all the other racers are the same thing.”

Joey Logano and the NASCAR fanbase have had somewhat of a love-hate relationship. The No. 22 Ford driver won his third Cup Series championship in 2024 but was criticized for his performances leading up to Phoenix Raceway. The Connecticut native was blamed for taking advantage of the ‘win and in’ playoff format, while drivers such as Kyle Larson failed to make it to Championship 4 despite six wins. It’s fair to say that the 34-year-old isn’t exactly a fan favorite in the motorsports circles, and calling them “spoiled” isn’t winning over the hearts either.