Joey Logano Is Getting Some Very Bad Advice
A rumbling undercurrent of conversation around this season’s NASCAR Sprint Cup broke through in a geyser last Sunday.
When Joey Logano confronted Kevin Harvick after a perceived slight late in the Pocono race, it marked a 
breakaway from the go-along, get-along nice-guy persona he’s displayed so far in his career. (Image credit: Flickr member: plstt http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4003/4680247516_df9f5401ce.jpg)
More Joey, after the jump.
The early-week media babbling seems to run along the lines of “no more Mr. Nice Guy” or “Joey finally shows some backbone” and Jeff Gluck’s Twitter response to the tune of: “How many fans has Joey gained?” (btw, follow Jeff if you’re not already; great media guy, terrific Twitter user, informative and smart; he’s worth the follow).
The response of out the Harvick camp has been notably muted and, to bring it to a point: Classy.
And that’s the real issue: Joey Logano has, up till now, portrayed himself as a sharp, diligent and classy guy. Sort of, if you will, a young Mark Martin. Spouting off about another driver’s personal life crushed all that, spinning Logano into an immature brat who can’t keep his mouth shut when the real trouble starts.
Rude. Inappropriate. Petulant. Classless.
Imagine Mark Martin jumping out of his racecar and taking a backhanded swipe at Teresa Earnhardt. Just wouldn’t happen.
And that gets us to the bubbling undercurrent: Several times this year – most notably on a recent “Trackside” program on SpeedTV, people have encouraged Joey to “man up” (Darrell Waltrip, in the Speed segment). They’ve noted his apparently-genuine politeness and warned him that he needs to toughen up.
Add to that Kyle Petty’s cryptic comment that Joey’s dad’s behavior has “gotten his hard card pulled” a couple times, and you can pretty easily imagine the kind of influence his old man has been on Joey. (I don’t know Tom Logano and don’t have anything against him. I’m just commenting on a comment: an easy thing for us armchair experts to do.)
Joey now faces a two-headed problem: 1.) he’s created animosity for himself on the track (in the form of Harvick and undoubtedly others who didn’t appreciate the verbal jab); 2.) and he’s shown a crack of weakness, which may give other drivers/teams the idea that they can get in his head. Look for young Mr. Logano to have multiple and frequent opportunities to back up his new “tough guy” persona in the weeks to come.
I don’t think he can do it. I’m way outside the circle, but I think one reason Mark Martin has promoted and supported Joey is his genuine good nature. If that’s the case, then Joey has made a slipup, and he’ll have to pay the price.
As for me, I have GOT to go buy a few of the new DeLana Harvick “I wear the firesuit in my family” t-shirts. Genius. And classy.
