“Can’t Let the Prisoners Run the Prison”: Joey Logano’s Verdict on Chase Elliott Incident Reveals What NASCAR Has To Do Right This Season

The Chase Elliott-Denny Hamlin incident in Charlotte and its aftermath has taken much of the spotlight in NASCAR for the last few weeks. While most believe the governing body took the correct decision to suspend Elliott for one race, others like Dale Earnhardt Jr. feel that this is exactly what the sport needs to deliver to its fans, a sentiment also echoed by Joey Logano who recently opened up about the Hendrick Motorsports driver’s suspension, and what he believes NASCAR should do going forward.

Logano recently appeared on NASCAR veteran Kenny Wallace’s show and opened up on a host of topics, including his career, the Next Gen car, and the legacies of NASCAR drivers.

Joey Logano on recent NASCAR decisions and the Chase Elliott call

When asked about the unprecedented penalties and fines over the last few months, Logano observed, “Has to happen. It has to happen. We need somebody to protect us from ourselves, is somebody to officiate the sport. It has to happen, you can’t let the prisoners run the prison. If you let us all have at it, right from building your race car, we’re all going to keep pushing the limits because it’s competition and we’re going to keep going and going and on and on and somebody’s got to reign us back in and there has to be a penalty big enough to say, ‘Uh, don’t do that’.”

Aside from the Chase Elliott penalty, Stewart Haas Racing was also slapped with one of the biggest penalties ever by NASCAR after a counterfeit part was found in the underwing of Chase Briscoe’s car following the race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Joey Logano on what NASCAR needs to do to make things right

On what NASCAR needs to do in order to be fair and just to the drivers and teams, Logano said, “I feel like NASCAR’s done a pretty good job at that. The other piece that needs to happen is there needs to be consistency; you can’t have a penalty one week and nothing next week and then the next week you do and next week you don’t.” 

In the end, though, the two-time champion conceded that like any other sport like football or baseball, officials cannot get every call right and there is always a scope for human error in determining action. That is pretty much in line with what the general sentiment has been around the garage since the start of the season – consistency when making obvious calls and penalties.

So far, like with the Chase Elliott and Chase Briscoe penalties, NASCAR has kept its foot down, and this is something that has been commended by owners and drivers alike.

Going forward, everyone is just hoping that things stay the same way.