The 2025 Daytona 500 was filled with excitement, but one move by Joey Logano turned the race upside down. A late-race incident sparked a wreck involving multiple cars, taking out several top drivers and leaving many frustrated. Jeff Gordon, William Byron, and Kyle Busch didn’t hold back their opinions, with Gordon calling Logano’s aggressive driving dumb.
The Daytona 500 Crash That Changed Everything
With just 15 laps to go, Logano made a quick move to the inside from the top line to move up from fifth place, but was however blocked by Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who kept pushing Logano towards the inside line.
Logano’s Penske hit the rear left of Stenhouse’s Hyak Motorsports Chevy, leading to both losing control and setting off a massive wreck that collected several cars, including Logano’s teammate Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski, Noah Gragson, Chase Elliott, and others.
The crash left some of the race’s biggest contenders out of the running and had fans debating whether Logano’s move was necessary or reckless.
Jeff Gordon’s Blunt Response
After the race, Byron was asked if the wreck was just part of superspeedway racing or if someone made a dumb move. Before Byron could answer, Gordon jumped in, saying, “Joey did.”
When I asked William Byron if anyone made dumb moves or if it was just superspeedway racing, Jeff Gordon said: "Joey did" …. @NASCARONFOX
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 17, 2025
That short but sharp comment from the NASCAR Hall of Famer made waves, instantly fuelling criticism of Logano’s decision-making on the track. Byron, who was caught up in the crash, didn’t argue but, in fact, agreed.
Another driver affected by the crash was Kyle Busch, and he wasn’t happy either. Busch has had run-ins with Logano before, and this time was no different.
“Logano was by far the fastest car today, saw a lot of laps led, and he could do about anything. The Penske cars were very strong. We still got 20 laps to go, and he’s trying to go through the middle and make a hole that isn’t there. Just created chaos,” Busch said after the race, clearly frustrated by the avoidable wreck.
Joey Logano Defends His Move
Despite the backlash, Logano stood by his decision. He explained, “From my perspective, I felt like to win the race, I had to get to the second row in my line there. I was in third and needed to get to second.”
While he saw it as a racing move, others saw it as an unnecessary risk. The Daytona 500 is known for aggressive racing, but this latest wreck has restarted the debate on how far is too far.
Logano is no stranger to controversy, and his aggressive style has earned him both wins and criticism. Whether he changes his approach or keeps pushing the limits, one thing is certain — this won’t be the last time he’s in the spotlight.
