"I didn’t handle anything wrong": $24M-worth Joey Logano recalls heartbreak over Joe Gibbs Racing’s decision to drop him

On September 4, 2012, Joe Gibbs Racing announced that they were parting ways with Joey Logano at the end of that season. While the move seemed to be a routine driver shuffle, it wasn't the case for Logano. Now, almost 12 and a half years later, he opened up on that fateful day and revealed why it was the "hardest" day of his life.

Logano recently sat with Jeff Gluck of The Athletic for an interview, where he participated in the customary tradition of answering 12 questions. In one of the questions, Gluck asked about the moment Logano felt "really challenging" in life. Answering it, the #22 driver mentioned his departure from Joe Gibbs Racing at the end of 2012.

"Probably when I got let go from (Joe) Gibbs (Racing, at the end of 2012)," Logano told Gluck. "I didn’t handle anything wrong when I left there. Everything was cordial and fine. I understood why, and it made it easier that I had this ride lined up at Penske. But that was the hardest point in my career — and probably my life, too."

Logano joined JGR in 2008 as a replacement for Tony Stewart, who went on to form and drive for his own team, Stewart-Haas Racing. However, he raced full-time from 2008 and stayed with the Joe Gibbs-owned team until 2012, when he claimed two wins in five years.

Logano, who is currently worth $24 million (as per Celebrity Net Worth) started off his NASCAR Cup Series career as a rising star. He was the rookie in the spotlight in 2009 and then became the youngest pole winner in Bristol when he claimed the pole position at the 2009 Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

However, the Connecticut-born driver struggled throughout 2011 and failed to win a race. His form did not drastically improve in 2012 despite his winning a race, and in the end, it was time for him to part ways with the Charlotte-based team.

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Joey Logano's fortune changed after he joined Team Penske

Following his departure from Joe Gibbs Racing at the end of 2012, Joey Logano joined Penske Racing (currently, Team Penske), which was the beginning of a great Cup Series journey. He joined to take charge of the #22 entry and still drives the same car today.

Joey Logano (22) talks to the audience after being announced as the three time Cup champion- Source: Imagn

Logano claimed a victory in his first season at Penske Racing, and by the end of 2024, he won at least one race per year. His best finish? Three Cup Series championships in 2018, 2022, and 2024. The 34-year-old racked up a total of 34 Cup Series wins for the team in 12 years and took the team to a whole new level.

Joey Logano is the current Cup Series defending champion after he held off his Team Penske teammate, Ryan Blaney, and won the Championship 4 race at the Phoenix Raceway last year. It was his second title in three years, and Penske's three-peat.