Joey Logano to Drop to Rear, Serve Pass Through Penalty for Safety Violation at Atlanta

Joey Logano was slated to roll from the starting grid from the runner-up spot, but due to a safety violation discovered on Sunday morning at Atlanta Motor Speedway before the Ambetter Health 400, Logano will drop to the rear of the field prior to the start of the race, and he will perform a pass-through penalty after the start of the race.

This penalty is a combination penalty as the glove itself was modified in an attempt to gain a competitive advantage, according to NASCAR. NASCAR has the right to assess at-track penalties for competition infractions, which it did in this case. There is also still the possibility of additional penalties following the race due to the safety infraction. If there are any additional penalties due to the altered glove, they will be most likely monetary.

If there are any additional penalties stemming from the violation, they will be announced next week.

According to NASCAR representatives, Logano violated section 14.3.1.1 of the NASCAR Cup Series rule book due to his safety gloves not being within SFI specifications.

For those playing fantasy games, which take into account picking up positions throughout the race, Logano will still be officially credited with starting from the second position in Sunday’s race.

Logano, who drives the No. 22 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Team Penske, won this event a season ago, and he led the most laps (45) in last weekend’s Daytona 500 prior to being swept up in a big crash late in that race. Logano will now have to work his way through a minefield of race cars at Atlanta Motor Speedway, which has proven to be difficult for NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series competitors this weekend, if he hopes to score his first win of the 2024 season.

The Connecticut native has collected two NASCAR Cup Series championships in his career, and he has made the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs in 10 of the last 11 seasons.

Chase Elliott, the driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will also drop to the rear of the field prior to the green flag of Sunday’s race due to unapproved adjustments following qualifying to his race car.