In the world of NASCAR, memorable moments often come from thrilling races, unexpected twists, and friendly banter between drivers. Today, we take a throwback journey to the Can-Am Duel 1 at Daytona of February 2018, where a young Joey Logano found himself playfully poking fun at his competitors, Bubba Wallace and Ryan Blaney.
It was a race that showcased the importance of teamwork on the track and gave us a classic quote from Logano that has stuck with the fans ever since.
The thrilling race took a dramatic turn when a late-race crash involving Jamie McMurray and Brad Keselowski sent the event into overtime.
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Joey Logano took a lighthearted jab at Bubba Wallace for helping his ‘BFF’
Joey Logano displayed his driving prowess as he controlled much of the race, hoping to secure another victory for Team Penske. However, his teammate Ryan Blaney had different plans as he made a daring move on the backstretch with just two laps remaining, snatching the lead from Logano after the McMurray-Keselowski clash.
Bubba Wallace, in his first Can-Am Duel appearance, played a crucial role in the outcome. Despite facing pressure from Logano, Wallace chose to support his friend, Blaney, by helping him maintain the lead. This strategic teamwork proved successful, allowing Blaney to clinch his first Can-Am Duel victory.
In the post-race conference, Logano humorously remarked, “The hundred feet of the race that I didn’t lead, the caution came out and that scoring loop I guess. I don’t know. I saw the lights, and I was in the lead but apparently, it goes back to the loop… so figures… and so we lost control of the restart and then the two best friends there ever was were sitting next to each other and I apparently don’t have any friends. It’s all coming back to me.”
To which Bubba Wallace replied with a grin, “I’ve seen you race before. You’re not anybody’s friend.” Logano immediately acknowledged, “I know, I could tell…”
READ MORE: Defending Champion Joey Logano Admits He Isn’t a Top Driver Anymore in a Cryptic 6-Word Message
Joey Logano also talked about his perspective on how the race played out as a whole. He admitted that he was surprised by Ryan Blaney’s moves near the end of the race.
Logano, Blaney, and Wallace didn’t look like they were on the same page
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As the Can-Am Duel 1 at Daytona came to an end and the drivers addressed the race, the top 3 drivers seemed to have clashing opinions. While Logano expressed surprise at losing the lead, he acknowledged the importance of teamwork among teammates. He noted, “I thought we all worked really well together. Team Penske cars were doing a good job, being able to control the race. Team orders are, as you know, you work together as much as you can, then you race each other for the win. So you know it’s coming.”
“Surprised where Blaney made the move to pass me there because that’s the same place he did it in the Clash,” he continued. ” It didn’t work for him in the Clash. I was kind of not thinking he would do it there. He made the move. I thought I was still in decent shape with Brad behind me. Even down the backstretch, I thought I was going to be in good shape. Then they wadded them up.”
Ryan Blaney, reveling in his victory, appreciated the support he received from his friend Wallace in the victory lane as he said, “I saw he (Wallace) was third, and I figured he would give me a good push. He did a great job all race. I saw him.”
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Wallace also appreciated Blaney for not taking moving to the top side to help his teammate. “That last restart, I was pretty proud of Ryan for taking the bottom there. Stop doing all that team stuff. Logano didn’t like it. I gave Ryan a good shot there. I think I gave him too big of a shot. But it was a good race back to the line. I just moved up a little bit too late. Joey and I said we both would have wrecked if I went up any higher at the end.”
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The Can-Am Duel 1 at Daytona in 2018 left us with not only a thrilling race but also a lighthearted moment courtesy of Joey Logano’s playful comment. It’s moments like these that keep fans coming back for more thrilling races and unforgettable banter on the track.