Since the start of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, controversy has erupted over NASCAR’s driver approval process, with questions swirling about whether some competitors have the necessary experience to race at the sport’s highest level.
Veteran driver Mike Wallace was denied approval, while Indy 500 legend Helio Castroneves got in through an owner’s exemption. Most recently, Katherine Legge, a racer with experience in IndyCar, IMSA, and the Xfinity Series, was involved in a crash at Phoenix, sparking fresh debate.
During the race, Legge’s accident took out Daniel Suárez, derailing what had been a strong performance. Afterward, Suárez didn’t blame her personally but instead called out NASCAR, arguing that the series should not allow drivers without sufficient experience to compete at the Cup level.
Speaking to his wife, Julia Piquet, in a conversation later posted on YouTube, Suárez made it clear: it’s not about gender—it’s about ensuring that every driver on track is properly qualified to handle the intensity of Cup racing.
With tensions rising, Joey Logano weighed in on the debate, calling for NASCAR to implement a more structured and consistent approval system to prevent underprepared drivers from being thrown into high-stakes Cup races.
Logano likened the situation to Formula 1, where strict licensing rules ensure only the most qualified drivers compete. He argued that just as an untrained NASCAR driver wouldn’t be expected to handle an F1 car, non-stock car racers shouldn’t be allowed to jump into a Cup car with only minimal practice.
The two-time Cup champion stressed that NASCAR must strike a balance between entertainment and safety, emphasizing that inexperienced drivers pose a danger not just to themselves but also to seasoned competitors and pit crews who work inches away from speeding cars.
Logano suggested NASCAR should require drivers to gain experience in lower-tier series like Xfinity before making the leap to Cup. While he acknowledged that each situation is unique, he insisted that clear-cut standards must be established to protect the integrity and safety of the sport.
