Joey Logano has spoken out after his disqualification from last weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series event, expressing sharp frustration and disappointment as his hopes for the championship took a significant hit. The penalty was handed down after post-race inspections found a loose rear spoiler bolt on Logano’s #22 car, which led to the loss of his fifth-place finish and dropped him to thirty-ninth position. This setback comes at a critical time, as Logano has only secured one top-10 finish this season, currently standing eleventh in the season rankings, though he still maintains a 36-point cushion above the playoff cutoff.
The reigning Cup Series champion did not hide his distress during an interview on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, admitting just how much the penalty has hurt him and his Team Penske crew. Logano, now a three-time series champion, stressed that the issue wasn’t a result of intentional cheating. “There’s a lot of bad things that come along with the penalty. And, you know, Team Penske, we’re not the people that, like, blatantly are going to go out there and cheat. It’s not who we are,” Logano explained. He clarified the nature of the problem, saying, “It was a mistake that essentially, the nut came off the bolt back there on the brace, and the bowl was still in there, but it does – and I said on the radio show this morning – it does cause a little deflection, I’m sure, in the spoiler.”
Logano acknowledged a possible minor gain from the incident but stood firm in accepting NASCAR’s rules, adding, “Does it give you a competitive advantage? I’m sure it does a little bit. Did it change where we finished in the race? No, because everyone was locked down two-wide, so it doesn’t make a difference, but it doesn’t change the fact that it’s not by the rules, so you’ve got to accept the penalty. And the penalty, I mean, it hurts. There’s no doubt.”
The effect of this incident might alter Joey Logano’s path towards another Cup Series title, amplifying tension within Team Penske as they struggle to gain momentum this season. If Logano is unable to rebound swiftly, his margin for error narrows, and the disqualification could prove to be a costly blow in his pursuit to defend his championship.
