If there’s an accolade that holds weight close to a NASCAR Cup Series championship in Joey Logano’s book, it’s the one that honors more than just on-track wins. Speaking on REKAP, the Team Penske driver reflected on a moment that stood apart in his career, the 2018 Comcast Community Champion of the Year Award, a recognition that struck a deeper chord than any checkered flag.
While nothing tops hoisting the championship trophy, Logano admitted that earning that community honor alongside the Joey Logano Foundation stood out as a milestone. The award, which recognizes those in NASCAR who go the extra mile to uplift their communities, has been a symbol of purpose beyond racing.
The Comcast Community Champion of the Year Award has been celebrating those who selflessly serve through nonprofit work, transforming lives and revitalizing neighborhoods, since 2015. Comcast selects three finalists each year, bringing their stories to the forefront before crowning one winner. The champion receives a $60,000 donation to their affiliated charity, while each of the remaining finalists’ causes receives $30,000.
Eligible contenders for the award span a wide cross-section of the NASCAR ecosystem. Team owners, drivers, and full-time personnel across all three national series, Cup, Xfinity, and Trucks, are qualified to receive the award. The recognition also extends to NASCAR media members holding a Hard Card in print, broadcast, or photography, along with NASCAR officials, partners, sponsors, and even family members of credentialed drivers.
For this year, the nomination window for the NASCAR award is currently open at ComcastCommunityChampion.com. Erik Jones took home the honor in 2024, becoming the 10th recipient thanks to the impact of the Erik Jones Foundation, which he launched in 2021 to support charitable causes and direct-to-individual programs across the country.
Before Jones, NASCAR driver Ryan Vargas was named the 2023 Community Champion. At 23, Vargas was recognized for his work with FACES: The National Craniofacial Association. Born with craniosynostosis, Vargas turned his platform into a beacon for children facing similar health battles, using the award’s donation to assist with medical costs, travel, and camp experiences through FACES.
Bubba Wallace joined the ranks in 2020, earning the award for his Live To Be Different Foundation, which empowers individuals to rise above limitations of race, gender, disability, and background. Wallace was selected by a panel of Comcast NBCUniversal and NASCAR executives, along with 2019 winner Mike Tatoian, who was honored for his work with USO Delaware.
But for Logano, the recognition meant more than just another trophy in the cabinet. As he put it, it “hit home” in a way race wins never had. Until then, everything he had collected came from behind the wheel. This award spoke to a different kind of victory, one that resonated far beyond the racetrack.