Getty Images Joey Logano hit with a big penalty before the start of last week's Atlanta 400.
Who snitched on Joey Logano? We know that Denny Hamlin thinks a team snitched on Logano. Was it him?
In case you haven’t heard, shortly before the start of the Ambetter Health 400 in Atlanta on February 25, Logano was penalized by NASCAR for wearing “unapproved safety gloves.” Logano had been a favorite to win at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.
As it was, Logano got involved in a crash late and finished the race in 28th place. After 2 races, he sits at 31st in the driver standings.
Breaking Down Joey Logano’s Penalty
Joey Logano, driving the No. 22 Ford, races for Team Penske. A few hours before the Ambetter Health 400, NASCAR officials penalized Logano for being in violation of the “Driver Protective Clothing/Equipment” section in the NASCAR Rule Book. The specific section requires protective gloves “meet SFI-approved specifications.”
Logan’s left-hand glove was altered, and not SFI approved.
For his violation, Logano was sent to the back of the field plus required to serve a pass-through on pit road for the start of the race. Two days later, NASCAR additionally fined Logano $10,000.
Many fans and even some pundits assumed Logano was penalized for seeking an unfair advantage. Drivers sometimes stick their fingers through the window netting to redirect air. Might his illegal glove be allowing Logano to direct more air, and thus give him an advantage during qualifying?
The aerodynamic gain may be slight, but remember the race itself ended with just 0.007 seconds being the difference between winning the race and finishing third.
NASCAR, however, claimed the penalties were not to punish Logano for trying to get a race advantage, as many suspected. Rather, they said he was penalized strictly on safety grounds.
“We see time and time again at superspeedways and at other events where the drivers will stick their hand out the window. That’s not something that we’ve been all that alarmed about,” said NASCAR’s Elton Sawyer on today’s SiriusXM NASCAR Radio show. Instead, what got NASCAR riled, was Logano modified safety equipment. “The penalty at the race track was based off that,” Sawyer claimed.
So, Who Snitched on Joey Logano?
Fox Sports showed the image of Logano’s altered glove repeatedly at the start of the race. But it was difficult to see, and by that time, NASCAR already knew. Someone likely tipped NASCAR off. Who?
On his “Actions Detrimental” podcast, Denny Hamlin insisted someone — probably another team — snitched on Logano. “These teams tell on each other, for sure,” Hamlin said. “Those of you who don’t know. They call this a self-policing sport because we’re sitting next to each other, we’re watching videos of other cars. The NASCAR Cup Series is full of snitches. I mean all over the place.”
Joey Logano isn’t the most liked driver in NASCAR. Following this month’s Clash at the Coliseum, a non-points race, Logano got into a heated discussion with Ty Gibbs.
He’s also had a “running feud” with Kyle Busch, who said of Logano: “It’s really unfortunate to be raced by guys that are so two-faced. We were in the TV booth earlier and nice together and when we’re all done with that, he’s like, ‘Hey man, good luck tonight.’ I’m like, ‘OK. Great. Thanks. Yeah. Whatever.’ And then, lo and behold, there you go, he wrecks me. Don’t even talk to me if you’re going to be that kind of an (expletive) on the race track.” Logano also had that notorious feud with Kevin Harvick, years ago.
It may have also been another team out to get Team Penske. After all, Ryan Blaney won the NASCAR Cup Series championship last year, driving for Team Penske, and Joey Logano won it for Penske in 2022. None of the other teams is hoping Penske three-peats.
Like Denny Hamlin said, these teams all “tattle-tell” on one another. Of course, Hamlin himself hasn’t denied snitching.