“If I was scared, I wouldn’t be out there.” That’s what Dale Earnhardt Sr. told David Letterman back in 1995 when the host asked if he felt fear during superspeedway races. The audience laughed, but Earnhardt’s stoic delivery showcased his “Intimidator” persona, captivating a national crowd on The Late Show. Letterman even teased him about his black No. 3 car looking like “something Darth Vader would drive,” to which Earnhardt deadpanned, “Works for me.” That moment helped cement his reputation with non-NASCAR fans as the embodiment of toughness, blending grit with a touch of humor that stuck long after the credits rolled.
Richard Petty brought his own charm to the late-night stage, popping up on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson in the 1970s. When Carson asked why he wore sunglasses and a cowboy hat indoors, Petty grinned and said, “I ain’t got much hair, Johnny.” The studio erupted, highlighting his humble, relatable nature and tying NASCAR’s Southern roots to a broader audience. He even poked fun at his trade, describing racing as “running around in circles until something happens,” a line that turned him into a pop culture icon.
Cale Yarborough took his turn on Carson’s show in 1978, diving into the infamous 1979 Daytona 500 fistfight, the first NASCAR race televised flag to flag. When Carson wondered if it was staged, Yarborough chuckled, “No, sir. That wasn’t acting. That was real as it gets.” The raw honesty humanized him and gave non-Southern viewers a taste of NASCAR’s rough-and-tumble edge, making it a memorable crossover moment.
Then came Jeff Gordon in the 2000s on Letterman, where the polished young star joked about shaving daily to avoid looking like a teenager. When Letterman asked how fast he’d driven outside NASCAR, Gordon teased, “Well, legally?” The audience laughed, helping him shake off the “California pretty boy” tag and win over a mainstream crowd with his wit.
From the younger crew, Dale Earnhardt Jr. stepped into the spotlight in 2014 on Jimmy Kimmel Live after his Daytona 500 win that year. Kimmel grilled him on superspeedway racing, restrictor plates, and his family legacy, delivering one of the rare full-length interviews during NASCAR’s ratings downturn. It was a breath of fresh air, connecting Junior’s down-to-earth style to a wider audience hungry for racing stories.
Now, another young speedster, Joey Logano, has taken his shot at late-night fame in 2025, appearing on a guest-hosted Kimmel episode with Jelly Roll. Part of NASCAR’s Driver Incentive Program push, Logano chatted about his career, his aggressive reputation, and joined in comedic bits, marking his first Kimmel visit. The buzz is still fresh, but the reaction has sent fans into a frenzy, with plenty of mocking taking over Reddit.
Fans go on a mocking rampage towards Logano
Joey Logano’s Kimmel appearance has sparked a wildfire of fan reactions on Reddit, with the mockery flying fast and thick. One fan quipped, “Joey Logano being interviewed by Jelly Roll on Jimmy Kimmel is like a random name generator.” This comment plays on the unusual pairing of Joey Logano, a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, and Jelly Roll, a country-rap musician known for his crossover appeal, appearing together on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Fans compared the matchup to a “random name generator” due to the unlikely intersection of their audiences. Jelly Roll, born Jason DeFord, has a strong following in country and hip-hop circles, while Logano is a NASCAR veteran often seen in corporate sponsor events rather than music spaces. The randomness was further amplified by the fact that neither has an obvious promotional connection, creating an oddball moment of mainstream media crossover not commonly seen in NASCAR media circuits. This randomness in pairing is similar to past unlikely NASCAR pop culture moments, like Tony Stewart appearing in a Burger King commercial with the King mascot.
Another fan noted, “This right here is why the man won the Driver Incentive Program. Also saw him show up on a YouTube video for something with the Donut Media brand reacting to some of his crashes and incidents.” Joey Logano’s recent media engagements are partially explained by NASCAR’s Driver Participation Incentive Program, which rewards drivers for media appearances that promote the sport to broader audiences. NASCAR revived and expanded this program in 2024, incentivizing drivers to engage in non-racing events, including TV shows, podcasts, and online platforms. Logano, known for being media-friendly, has been one of the prominent participants.
Additionally, Logano’s appearance on Donut Media, a popular automotive YouTube channel known for car culture content, was part of this outreach strategy. In that segment, Logano reacted to famous crashes and aggressive incidents from his career, showcasing his personality while tapping into YouTube’s massive automotive fanbase. Donut Media, boasting over 7 million subscribers, allowed Logano to reach younger, digitally native audiences not typically following NASCAR’s traditional broadcasts.
A third fan chimed in, “Very cool to see a NASCAR driver making the late night rounds again. Especially on a show that got a lot of press with Jelly Roll and WWE.” NASCAR drivers appearing on late-night talk shows have become rare since the mid-2000s. Stars like Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. once regularly appeared on shows like The Tonight Show and Late Show with David Letterman, but in recent years, such appearances have diminished as NASCAR’s mainstream media exposure waned.
Logano’s Kimmel spot represents a return to the mainstream for NASCAR drivers, using Jelly Roll’s recent media wave, including collaborations with WWE and viral music performances, to help draw cross-demographic viewers. Jimmy Kimmel Live has seen increased media coverage due to Jelly Roll’s appearances, including his viral duet performances and association with WWE, where he performed live at WrestleMania 40.
Finally, a fan joked, “Joey Logano should feel lucky that he went on Jimmy Kimmel Live and didn’t have to meet Jimmy Kimmel.” This fan joke taps into a common late-night format where celebrity guests are often interviewed directly by the host. However, Joey Logano’s segment was handled by guest host Jelly Roll, not Jimmy Kimmel himself. Kimmel often employs guest hosts, especially during summer breaks, and for certain crossover segments involving musicians or sports stars outside the typical Hollywood circuit.
Logano appearing on Kimmel’s show but missing Kimmel himself reflects NASCAR’s current struggle to reach consistent A-list promotional slots. Fans interpreted this as a symbolic miss. NASCAR once regularly landed spots with top-tier hosts like Jay Leno or Letterman. Now, drivers sometimes appear under guest hosts, reflecting a shift in cultural prominence. Nonetheless, the guest-hosting dynamic gave Logano a unique opportunity to connect with Jelly Roll’s audience, even if some fans lamented the absence of a direct interview with Kimmel himself.
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