Who doesn’t love a good crossover? Over the years, NASCAR has seen many high-profile athletes make their presence felt on the track. Back in 2009, Hall-of-Fame quarterback for the Oakland Raiders, Ken Stabler, gave the command at Sonoma Raceway. Baltimore Ravens legend Ray Lewis waved the green flag at the 2013 Daytona 500 race, and former Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis drove the pace car at the 2015 Coca-Cola 600. It was only a matter of time before the coin flips the other way.
And that’s exactly what has happened. Denny Hamlin recently met up with high-profile NFL safety Damar Hamlin, and the news sparked a frenzy on social media. The veteran racer even made a bold case for reigning champ Joey Logano’s appearance at Yankee Stadium ahead of the weekend at Pocono Raceway.
Denny Hamlin opens up about getting new fans
It’s no secret that NASCAR has been looking for avenues for expansion. Recently, the sport held its first points-paying international race at the fabled Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in a bid to get more fans south of the border. The switch to Amazon Prime is also an attempt at getting younger audiences on board, ensuring that the stock car racing series remains relevant for years to come. Now, it looks like Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano are also playing their part in promoting the sport with crossover opportunities.
Sharing his thoughts in the pre-race press conference at Pocono, Denny Hamlin said, “Promotion of the sport has always been important. Sports fans, there are only so many, there are only so many eyeballs, programs that they can watch at one time, right? So, you’re kind of fighting for those eyeballs. So certainly, when you can appeal to another sports’ audience, and show them that this is a sport too. Our drivers are athletes, or whatever it might be. Then maybe you know, maybe you get some new fans into the sport.”
And who is better than the reigning champ to promote the sport? With Long Pond, Pennsylvania, just an hour and a half away, Joey Logano and his family took a quick detour to see the Yankees host the Baltimore Orioles at an iconic venue. Speaking to ‘YES Network’, the Team Penske driver even asked baseball fans to tune into the Pocono race, saying, “We’re racing this weekend, on Sunday. If you want to come out and watch a race and have some fun, we’re just straight up the road. If not, we’re gonna be on Amazon Prime this weekend as well.”
As for Hamlin, he was recently seen at Fanatic Games, where he met up with NFL superstar Damar Hamlin. It was a heartwarming encounter, with the Buffalo Bills star saying, “You’ve been the most famous Hamlin ever. I was always claiming you as a cousin.” Perhaps the crossover might get more football fans tuning in to the race in Pocono, now that the spotlight is on the Joe Gibbs Racing veteran after the chance encounter became viral on social media.
Logano recounts his experience at Yankee Stadium
It’s fair to say that Joey Logano made the most of his time in the Northeast. Even though ‘The Great American Getaway 400’ was on the horizon, the three-time Cup Series winner couldn’t let go of the opportunity of soaking in the atmosphere at one of the most iconic stadiums in the world. It was a good change of pace and an opportunity to soak up the sun before an intense weekend at the ‘Tricky Triangle’ in the heart of the Pocono Mountains.
Speaking to the media from the stadium, Logano couldn’t contain his excitement, saying, “Oh, this is awesome to be here at Yankee Stadium. It’s kind of surreal, right? You hear about it, it’s like a legend, right, you hear about. I’ve never got to come to a game here before, but just walking out here on the field, it’s pretty surreal. Yeah, like I don’t know, like this is hallowed ground, you know, it’s pretty special.”
With some Yankee Stadium inspiration, Joey Logano will now shift his attention to Pocono Raceway. Having finished outside the top 20 in the last two races, the No. 22 Ford driver will have a point to prove at the 2.5-mile tri-oval. Will he be able to double his win tally in the upcoming race? Or wilt under pressure at the challenging track? Let us know in the comments!
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