Ford Racing Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Media Availability — EchoPark Speedway
Saturday, February 21, 2026
Joey Logano, driver of the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse, was presented with the NMPA Pocono Spirit Award for 2025 during today’s rain delay at EchoPark Speedway. Current NMPA President Holly Cain and past president Deb Williams made the presentation in the infield media center.
JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “When I think about our sport and the huge hearts that are in it, I think everybody gets used to seeing us being so cut throat on the racetrack, we’re so used to just getting after it and doing whatever we can to win, but I think this industry does an amazing job at understanding what the big picture is from Monday back to Sunday and that there is a bigger purpose than just driving in circles. I say it all the time, it is a really cool job and it’s an incredible opportunity, but if you don’t do anything with it, it’s a pretty empty life at the end of the day. If you have the opportunity, and all of us do here sitting in this room and in the garage, have the opportunity to impact people in such a positive way. The crazy thing is a lot of times it just happens with a smile. It doesn’t even take much, and then you can obviously build off of that and some incredible things.
The JL Kids Crew is just a leg of what we do at the Joey Logano Foundation. Our main focus is foster children. We love being able to partner with some great organizations that help foster kids and foster parents get through life. It’s obviously a very challenging life and not of their choice. That’s what I have the biggest heart for is the people that get put in a situation. They didn’t make a bad decision, it’s just what happened to those kids. There’s a lot of great people that are willing to help and we like being the fuel that jumps onto something that somebody has already started.
The JL Kids Crew, which is what this award is about, started a while back and this goes to show how incredible our community is. A little guy named Jake Leatherman, he passed away. I guess we’re getting close to 10 years ago. I don’t believe any of us got to meet him, but a lot of us went to his funeral and there were probably 40 crew members who showed up at his funeral wearing firesuits. It was a really touching moment during the funeral. I left there with my wife and I was angry that we didn’t see him when he was with us. I was like, ‘This is great, but what a missed opportunity.’ And that’s what started the JL Kids Crew was in honor of Jake and to let his legacy live through this program. To me, it’s a cool thing to see that.
So many kids have come to the racetrack and we have great partners to help with that. Obviously, Shell and Ford and Hunt Brother’s Pizza – everybody that jumps on board with that – but also the racetracks. Right here, SMI has done a great job of helping us with suites and giving us access to the racetrack and making sure that these kids have an experience that you can’t buy. That’s what I want it to be. Put them as part of the team. Give them a race suit. Make them feel like they’re part of it. Let them help push the car out onto the grid or set the air pressures. It’s little stuff like that, but it really matters to not only the child, but when you see their parent’s face light up because a lot of these children are going through hell. I’m just being honest and frank about it. They’re going through a lot and as a parent watching your child go through some of the stuff, I couldn’t imagine.
So, to see the joy not only in the child’s face, but also the parent’s face or whoever is with them, their guardian, is really so touching and it’s something I’m so appreciative of. It’s not just me doing that. It’s not just the Joey Logano Foundation doing that, which is incredible as well, but it’s our industry that wraps their arms around them when they’re sitting at the driver’s meeting and the go around and get all of the autographs, or back at driver intros. It’s a dream come true for these kids, so it’s an honor to let Jake’s legacy live on through that program. This is for him.”
