Youth Inc. with Greg Olsen

Episode: Building a Champion: Joey Logano on Pressure, Progress, and Motorsport’s Evolution

Date: January 6, 2025
Guests: Joey Logano (Three-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion)
Host: Greg Olsen

Episode Overview

In this deep-dive conversation, former NFL star Greg Olsen interviews NASCAR champion Joey Logano about his journey from youth racing to motorsport stardom. Their discussion covers the pressures young athletes face, the changing landscape of youth sports, the financial and mental demands of racing, the evolution of youth development, and Logano’s insights on how families and kids can best find fulfillment and resilience in sports. This episode is filled with practical advice for parents and young athletes, memorable stories from Logano’s life, and frank reflections on what it means to build a champion mindset.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Joey Logano’s Youth Racing Journey ([01:12]–[04:14])

• Early Exposure: Joey recounts his unique path—starting in Connecticut, moving south to Georgia so he could focus more seriously on racing.
  • “You can't just go to your local sporting goods store and buy a race car… it's very complex.” — Joey Logano [01:46]
• Parental Support & Sacrifice: His father sold his company to support Joey’s young career and was deeply involved in his early racing.
  • “There’s not many people that have the ability to do that… I was breaking barriers coming up as a kid.” — Joey Logano [03:13]
• Rapid Progression: Joey describes always “pushing the barrier” by moving up divisions as soon as he could win, at times fudging his age to advance faster.

2. Geographic and Social Realities of Racing ([04:41]–[06:15])

• Regional Differences: Different types of racing predominate in different regions (quarter midgets in the Northeast, dirt racing in the Midwest/out West, asphalt in the Southeast).
• Specialization Early: Now, early entry and specialization in higher-level cars at a young age is normalized nationally.

3. The Cost and Commitment of Youth Motorsports ([07:25]–[09:54])

• Financial Barriers: The family spent heavily at first—over $100K a year is not uncommon for competitive youth racing.
  • “If you want to win, you got to have nice cars… the car is half of the battle.” — Joey Logano [08:37]
• Changing Opportunities: Joey benefited from a driver development deal at 15—these paths are now largely gone for young drivers, making financial backing and sponsor relationships even more critical today.

4. Managing Success, Failure, and Rapid Advancement ([11:54]–[17:13])

• Early Success, Late Failure: Joey rarely lost as a youth but struggled in his early Cup Series years.
  • “I didn’t lose much. I’d show up and win and we didn’t know why… I had never experienced failure before.” — Joey Logano [13:00–13:39]
• Turning Point: His four tough years in the Cup Series taught him how to lose, how to work, and humbled his previous arrogance.
  • “It’s the most important years of my life… that’s when you learn the most about yourself, is in the trenches.” — Joey Logano [17:13]

5. The Double-Edged Sword of Early Achievement ([17:48]–[20:47])

• Too Much, Too Soon: Joey acknowledges that too much early success left him less tough than he could have been and that today’s trend for younger kids racing in top-level cars may be “too much, too soon.”
  • “Now I look at a 12 year old kid racing a late model, I think it’s too much… I think it’s too soon now.” — Joey Logano [19:23]
• Parental Roles: His father made it fun and fostered joy rather than pressure, contrasting with many parents who make youth sports about themselves.
  • “We made sure we had fun… That was the one thing my dad always did with me.” — Joey Logano [20:47]
  • “I’ve seen a lot of kids show up to the racetrack that it’s dad’s dream. It’s not the kid’s dream. And… they robbed their kid’s childhood from it.” — Joey Logano [21:10]

6. Joey as a Parent: Passing Down Lessons ([23:03]–[27:19])

• Fame’s Burden: His own son (age 6) faces different expectations as “Joey Logano’s kid.”
• Intentional Approach: Joey doesn’t spoil his son with the best gear or pressure him—he wants his child to experience fun, self-reliance, and lessons, not just early results.
  • “He’s gonna work on his car… if he doesn’t clean his car, then he’s gonna race a dirty car, that’s on him. When it doesn’t matter. Cause he’s six years old.” — Joey Logano [25:54]
  • “If he wins a race right now and he’s six, you think that’s gonna help him make it? Doesn’t matter.” — Joey Logano [27:04–27:19]
• Greg’s Coaching Perspective: Echoes the irrelevance of early trophies and records for future recruitment/success.

7. Racing as a Team Sport: Building the Right Crew ([27:44]–[30:42])

• Team Dynamics: Despite appearances, racing is a team effort, with the driver akin to a quarterback and the crew chief as coach.
• Key Value – Ownership: Joey’s top non-negotiable is individuals who take full responsibility rather than blame.
  • “You gotta, like, take ownership in yourself, in your actions. That’s the number one thing. I’d rather somebody—you gotta look inward first before you start pointing fingers.” — Joey Logano [28:41]
  • On so-called luck: “I don’t believe in luck. There’s zero luck involved in sports. In my mind, a lot of them are just decisions.” [29:31]

8. Mental Approach and Preparation ([30:42]–[33:42])

• Thriving Under Pressure: Joey excels in high-pressure moments, especially during playoffs.
  • “Some people are born to love that pressure. Some people have to learn to love the pressure… It’s never comfortable. But for me, I find ways to back myself up against the wall and find a way to dig out of it.” — Joey Logano [31:30]
• Preparation Trumps Talent: Out-preparation leads to calm and effective performance in critical moments.
  • “I think I’m the most mental, tough race car driver on the racetrack… how do I feel more prepared than anyone? Well, one, I’ve been doing it for a long time… but two, I’m gonna out-prepare over any other driver.” — Joey Logano [32:22]

9. A Championship Example: Staying Calm in the Storm ([33:42]–[35:50])

• 2024 Championship Decided by Poise: Joey breaks down the pivotal final restart in Phoenix, where understanding, composure, and the ability to capitalize on others’ nerves netted him the Cup.
  • “All I did is stay calm through this situation. Right now, the 20 is up next to him. The 20 makes a mistake racing for the lead and slides up the racetrack, it just opens the door for me… I was fully prepared for what could happen, and I stayed calm and they didn’t and opened up the door for us to take the championship.” — Joey Logano [34:19]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If you win the right races in front of the right people and the opportunity’s there, it’s one thing. But… finance is one of the hardest things with motorsports.” — Joey Logano [07:29]
• “You’re only as good as the people you’re racing against. So if you can beat them, you better move up.” — Joey Logano [04:14]
• “Ownership… is the number one thing. I can’t stand when people make excuses.” — Joey Logano [28:41]
• “If your child does not absolutely eat, breathe, sleep, that sport, make sure it’s fun, number one. And make sure they learn some lessons.” — Joey Logano [21:10]
• “I wish I had a little bit more failure earlier in my career. I’ve been way tougher.” — Joey Logano [19:23]
• “No one’s asking what your record was at 12U baseball, 12U volleyball.” — Greg Olsen [27:19]
• “There’s nothing lucky about people that can repeat success over and over, extended periods of time against the best in the world.” — Greg Olsen [35:50]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Joey's Early Start and Family Sacrifice: [01:12]–[04:14]
• Regional Differences in Youth Racing: [04:41]–[06:15]
• Financial Realities of Youth Motorsports: [07:25]–[09:54]
• Handling Early Success and Later Struggle: [13:00]–[17:13]
• Reflections on Early Specialization: [17:48]–[20:47]
• Lessons for Sports Parents Today: [21:10]–[23:03]
• Joey's Own Parenting Approach: [25:08]–[27:19]
• Building a Race Team, Ownership, and Accountability: [27:44]–[30:42]
• Mental Preparation and Playoffs Pressure: [30:42]–[33:42]
• Phoenix Championship Story: [33:42]–[35:50]

Conclusion

Greg Olsen’s talk with Joey Logano offers a fascinating look at both the specific world of youth motorsport and the broader lessons of youth sports. Logano’s advice—keep it fun, embrace the lessons learned from failure, demand accountability, don’t rush specialization, and focus on preparation and mental resilience—resonates whether the young athlete in your life is racing cars or playing stick-and-ball. For anyone concerned about the current state and future direction of youth sports in America, this episode is an honest, energizing listen packed with both humility and hard-won wisdom.