Why was Joey Logano penalized before the Atlanta Cup Series race?
Joey Logano, the driver of the Team Penske No. 22 Ford, was penalized and sent to the back of the field for a safety violation just before the Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
The violation was exposed in a video shared on X (formerly Twitter) by Fox Sports analyst Larry McReynolds, who pointed out that Logano’s left glove did not meet the S.F.I. safety standards. He said:
"What the violation was, was a safety violation. Is everything that driver has, the helmet, the gloves, the head sock, the uniform—everything has to be S.F.I rated."
The S.F.I. is a non-profit organization that is responsible for setting and administering standards for racing equipment.
Although it is common to use the left hand to control the airflow during superspeedway qualifying, Joey Logano’s glove modifications did not conform to S.F.I. safety standards. Larry McReynolds said:
"That's the safety rating. The glove that Joey had on his left hand, it was not S.F.I.-rated. Everybody does this in Superspeedway qualifying, they put that left hand up there to try to block some air."
This went against Rule 14.1.1 of the Cup Rule Book, and NASCAR will review the incident to take additional steps to punish the No. 22 Penske driver in the future (via Peter Stratta on X).
"NEWS: @joeylogano will drop to the rear and serve a pass through penalty. He violated Rule 14.1.1, not having gloves to meet SFI safety standards. Any additional penalties will be announced on Tuesday."
In the race, Joey Logano got involved in an accident on Stage 2 and finished the race in 28th position.
Fans express frustration over Joey Logano's penalty
After Joey Logano’s penalty at the Atlanta race, NASCAR fans flooded social media to share their thoughts on the decision. Their reactions showed a feeling of disappointment with NASCAR’s application of rules and regulations.
A fan questioned the legitimacy of the sport, writing:
"Why in the hell am I still watching this joke of a sport. No brakes, no problem, no fenders or bumpers, no problem. Hey, your gloves are a problem here."
Some fans slammed the idea that Joey Logano's webbed glove would give him a competitive advantage.
"Are they for real trying to claim a webbed glove on his left hand gave him a competitive advantage in air for a car going 170 mph?" One fan wrote.
Another fan thinks that rules should be loosened and drivers should be given more freedom. They wrote:
"The nascar races have been terrible let the drivers wear whatever they want make the cars so they can pass."
Here are a few more reactions from NASCAR fans: