The Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega wasn’t just another superspeedway showdown. It became the epicenter of a fiery controversy that spilt over from the pit lane to social media. The drama ignited at the end of Stage 2 when Austin Cindric backed off a push that would’ve helped Joey Logano secure the stage win. That lift allowed Bubba Wallace to steal the stage win for Toyota, and it left Logano fuming. His explosive radio message, laced with expletives and raw frustration, was hard to ignore and became the talk of the town.

“Way to go, Austin,” Logano said at that time. “What a stupid s—. God! He just gave it to him. Gave it to him. Gave a Toyota the stage win. Nice job. Way to go. What the f—.” The outburst set off a whirlwind. Dale Earnhardt Jr. labeled it emotional but forgivable. However, others weren’t so kind. Most surprisingly, MLB Hall of Famer Chipper Jones joined the fray. Jones didn’t hold back. He praised Cindric for his team-first mentality and hammered Logano’s selfishness.

“Good teammates are hard to come by, Boss!” he posted on X, “Remember that one of urs MFed u on national TV.” He continued, implying Logano cared more about personal glory than team success. Logano fired back, saying, “That’s like me criticizing baseball. I don’t know baseball.” As tension built, fans and insiders questioned whether the Penske garage was on the verge of unravelling. But as NASCAR often shows, one week can flip the narrative. At Texas Motor Speedway, Joey Logano let his driving do the talking. And with that win came something unexpected: peace. Or at least a step toward it.

Joey Logano shows a big heart!

Amid rising pressure and criticism, Joey Logano finally shut down his doubters in Texas. On Sunday, he battled late with Michael McDowell, made the crucial pass after the restart, and held off Ryan Blaney and Ross Chastain to lock in his first win of the season. It was vintage Logano, aggressive, smart, and impossible to shake. The win gave Penske its much-needed momentum and a sigh of relief to the reigning champion.

That victory didn’t just earn points. It earned respect from an unlikely voice. Chipper Jones, who had blasted Logano days earlier, congratulated him. “A HOF driver with a masterful win. This is what NASCAR fans expect from you. Hard-charging wins and gracious top 5s and 10s. Well done!” Jones wrote on X.  The post quickly racked up over 300,000 views. But what came next changed everything.

Logano seized the moment. He reposted Jones’ message with a cheeky grin, captioning his reply: “I always knew you would become a 22 fan! Thanks!! Truce?” Alongside the words was a photo—Logano holding the Würth 400 trophy while donning a Braves cap. For fans who followed the tension, it was the NASCAR equivalent of a handshake at home plate. When a fan questioned whether Jones was backpedalling, the Hall of Famer clarified: “Appreciating a great race and sportsmanship. HOFers are always held to a higher standard.”

While the tension between Jones and Joey Logano seemed to ease, the situation inside Team Penske was still delicate. Cindric had his own view of the Talladega fiasco. “I can understand Joey’s frustration. We’re all trying to win, but we also want to keep the cars clean. It takes constant work to keep the bond strong. It’s not always easy, but we do it better than most,” he said before the Texas race.

He wasn’t angry, just honest. He added that Monday’s team meeting helped clear the air, showing maturity and resilience. But not all was patched up with a bow. Cindric made it clear—he’s not just a sidekick to Logano and Blaney. “Just being ‘as good’ isn’t enough,” he said. “I want to be better. I’m not here to be the third wheel.” As for Jones, his NASCAR connection isn’t new. He’s not a casual fan.

The MLB Hall of Famer grew up just 20 miles from Daytona and watched the Firecracker 400 as a kid. “The first Daytona 500 I saw was when Petty won his 200th. Seeing President Reagan fly in on Air Force One was unreal,” Jones said last year. His fandom wasn’t shallow. He admired Cale Yarborough back then and still respects the sport deeply today. That’s why Joey Logano’s Talladega incident hit a nerve.

Notably, when Jones finally attended his first Daytona race in person, it left him speechless. “It was louder, faster, and more intense than I imagined. I’ve been hooked ever since,” he once said. His passion for NASCAR added depth to the beef with Logano—it wasn’t just some outsider throwing stones. He cared. Apart from that, he is also from a team that has been Chase Elliott’s favorite. And he is now teaming up with NASCAR’s most popular driver to bring Baseball to Bristol Motor Speedway!

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MLB at Bristol? Elliott and Jones bring two sports together!

It’s not every day you see NASCAR’s most popular driver and a Baseball Hall of Famer team up. But that’s exactly what Chase Elliott and Chipper Jones are doing—and they’re doing it in style. Together, they’re helping organize one of the most ambitious crossover events in recent sports history: an MLB event at Bristol Motor Speedway. The “MLB Speedway Classic” will take place on August 2,2025, between the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds.

Jones, a lifelong NASCAR fan, and Elliott, a Braves superfan, are playing central roles in the promotion. “Just to have a small part in this and help promote it is a really cool honor,” Elliott said in August 2024 while announcing the event. “I grew up watching the Braves, so this means a lot.” The field will feature all-turf, with clay around the bases, solving Jones’s biggest worry about playing conditions. “You can’t just throw a baseball field together. I’m glad it’s turf. It’s going to be hot, but that’s part of the challenge,” he added.

The game is expected to rival MLB’s all-time attendance record. While Bristol hasn’t announced final seating, early projections suggest over 125,000 fans could pack the venue. That would eclipse the 115,300-mark set at the L.A. Coliseum in 2008. Jones was also touched on how the event gives players a break from routine. “Baseball gets monotonous. This is a perfect way to shake things up. I promise every guy will sign up for it,” he said.

For fans of both sports, it’s a dream. For NASCAR and MLB, it’s a brilliant move to connect two fan bases. And for Elliott and Jones, it’s proof that sports aren’t just about wins and stats. They’re about connections. From fiery radio messages to collaborative home runs, the last two weeks in NASCAR have shown that bridges can burn and be rebuilt just as fast.