2x champ Joey Logano emphasizes Driver-Crew Chief bond in NASCAR as Austin Dillon settles with new leader

Former NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano is one driver who has been in the highest echelon of the sport long enough to know the importance of a well-rounded team behind a fast driver to achieve success at the track. In a sport as dependent on the team as it is on the driver behind the wheel, the 2-time champion recently spoke about how the relationship between the two entities makes for a winning combination.

With Richard Childress Racing's Austin Dillon's #3 crew pairing up with Justin Alexander on top of the pit box calling strategy as the crew chief, Dillon, and the #3 team are expected to find their mojo back during a season that has seen the team struggle for results.

Joey Logano emphasized the same driver-crew chief bond during a recent interview with Frontstretch leading up to this weekend's Cup Series race at Martinsville. He said:

"Some teams, the crew chief does all the jobs. It depends how well the driver and the crew chief get along as far as the communication and the openness, understanding where everybody is at. Getting that chemistry put together is not the easiest thing to do."

Logano added:

"It's a relationship just like any other one. Most times you go on a date with a girl a few times before you marry her and in this case, you go on a couple job interviews and you go to work and you hope it works."

It remains to be seen how Austin Dillon's new driver-crew chief pairing with Justin Alexander bears fruit for the #3 team and driver. Dillon's former victories in NASCAR have also come with Alexander atop the pit box, indicating a positive bond between the two.

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Joey Logano touches on NASCAR's new short track package's effectiveness heading into spring Martinsville race

The new short-track aero package that has been in effect for the past two races will make a return this Sunday at Martinsville Speedway. Team Penske driver Joey Logano spoke about the effectiveness of the same and how it has altered racing at a venue highly sensitive to dirty air and told Frontstretch in an interview before the 2024 Cook Out 400

He said:

"In some ways, it feels like it's a little free-er into the corners for sure. Dirty air isn't quite as bad, it still will be. Dirty air is dirty air, you're behind a car, it's what's going to happen but it seems to be a little better"

The 400-lap-long event kicks off today at 3:00 pm ET, with Joey Logano starting in P6 in the third row.