NASCAR champ SLAMS 'uneducated' question in passionate exchange

Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano has hit out at some of the questions posed to him and his fellow drivers.

The 34-year-old is fast becoming a legend of the sport as his career continues, with his record as the youngest Cup Series race winner – at barely more than 19 years old – still standing a good decade and a half later.

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Logano only finished 13th at this weekend's race in Phoenix, although an alternative tyre strategy (possibly with a view to the championship race on the same track in November) could've paid dividends.

The #22 driver delivered a scathing response ahead of the race, when being asked if he considered NASCAR drivers athletes in the mould of other major American sports.

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Joey Logano's thoughts about NASCAR athletes

In a press conference, he said: "The fact that they even ask us is a bit ridiculous in my opinion. It's how you want to define an athlete, right? In the same way that if you give me a basketball, I'm not going to be that great with it. It's the same way you put an NBA player in a NASCAR race car, and they're not going to be that great either.

“So are you going to tell me now an NBA player is not an athlete because they can't drive a race car? Probably not. So then why would you call me not an athlete? Why would you even be in the conversation? I don't get that.

“I think when people are competing at a high level – at the very top with the amount of pressure that we all deal with – and not to mention the obviously the physical strains that it takes to drive these race cars these days for a long period of time and tough conditions.

"It's kind of hard to say we're not. But it's an uneducated question from people that don't understand our sport is what it is.”

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