Are Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski friends? A closer look at NASCAR veterans' relationship
Veteran NASCAR drivers Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski were once part of the same stable at Team Penske, spearheading the team owned by Roger Penske in the premier stock car racing series. They have known each other for over a decade and are long-time friends on and off the track.
Keselowski and Logano were teammates for nine years between 2013 to 2021 when the former left Penske to become the team co-owner and driver for RFK Racing in 2022. Logano continues to drive the #22 Penske Ford, as the most experienced driver in the organization.
Brad Keselowski joined Roger Penske's team in 2009 and was racing full-time in both the Cup and Xfinity series the following season. He quickly made his mark by winning the Xfinity title in 2010, delivering Penske's first NASCAR championship. Keselowski then secured the organization's first Cup title in 2012, driving the #2 Ford.
Following Keselowski's Cup triumph, Joey Logano joined Team Penske in 2013 and established himself as a championship contender in the #22 Ford. Logano won his first Cup title in 2018 and added a second in 2022, the first year under the next-gen era.
Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski are elite superspeedway drivers, a hallmark of Team Penske drivers. They often dominate at the front of the pack, using their drafting expertise to control the race. Their elite skills were on display in Atlanta last season, when Logano masterfully dueled with Keselowski for the victory. Following the win, he said about his ex-teammate (via The Athletic.com):
"I know Brad really well on and off the racetrack. I know he’s going to do anything to win a race. And rightfully so. … We both race really, really hard."
Their camaraderie and strong relationship, built over the last decade, has played a significant role in making Team Penske a favorite on drafting tracks. They continue to work together under the Ford banner, having developed a deep understanding of one another.
When Joey Logano compared his relationship with Brad Keselowski to a "marriage"
In the final lap of the 2021 Daytona 500, Joey Logano was leading Brad Keselowski to the checkered flag when they both crashed out, handing the victory to Michael McDowell. The last-lap wreck soured their relationship temporarily but they soon put their differences aside.
Following the incident, Logano compared his relationship with Keselowski to a marriage, inferring that while they may have disagreements, they would continue to work together.
"The analogy I used on Sirius a minute ago was, it’s a marriage. Right? When you’re married to somebody, you have to figure it out. You’re married. You don’t just leave. You get married, it’s supposed to be forever. So, when you have conflict, you have differences of opinions or whatever, you have to talk about it. You’re forced to. You can’t just roll it up under the rug." he was quoted as saying by Tobychristie.com.
Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski continue to compete for championships in 2024, with both drivers in the playoffs.