Joey Logano is no stranger to controversy, both on and off the track.
I mean, we all know Kyle Busch can’t stand him, he’s had his share of physical altercations with Denny Hamlin, and even a run in with Chase Elliott last year.
With more than enough experience in NASCAR beef, he recently weighed in on the Chase Elliott/Kevin Harvick spat.
If you remember back to the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol, Kyle Larson finished the race in Victory Lane after a wild on-track altercation between Kevin Harvick and defending Cup Series champion Chase Elliott.
With just a handful of laps to go in the final race of the first round of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, Elliott and Harvick were battling for the lead, with Kyle Larson breathing down both their necks.
Harvick’s #4 car got into the left side of Elliott’s #9, leaving Chase with a flat tire and no shot at winning the race.
After Elliott pitted for new tires, he patiently waited for Kevin Harvick, who was racing for the lead with Elliott’s teammate Kyle Larson, and blocked Harvick so that Larson could get the win.
Needless to say, Harvick was fuming, and let Chase know after the race.
Harvick called the move from Elliott a “chicken shit move,” while Elliott claimed that Harvick pulls those kinds of moves all the time and he was finally sick of it.
After some pushing and shoving on pit road after the drivers got out of their cars, Elliott and Harvick eventually disappeared into Elliott’s hauler to try to work things out.
And then, ahead of last Sunday’s race, Harvick doubled down saying that talking to Elliott was like talking to a nine year old.
Back to Logano…
When asked about the situation, Logano admitted that he doesn’t have a horse in the race, but also says that he would be mad as well if he was in either driver’s position:
“As far as the whole Chase and Harvick thing, I am not a horse in this race. So I can be out of that one.
I can see both sides of the story, though. If there’s one thing I think we all can probably agree on watching it back is that I’d be mad on either side of it.”
But for Logano, he’d be a lot more nervous if he was in Elliott’s shoes. As beefs continue to linger, it’s real easy for that to boil over and the next thing you know, you’re into the wall and your playoff chances are over.
“I’d be nervous. I’d be maybe a little nervous about the situation, you know, depending on who goes on to the next round or not. It could really affect how things go.
I feel like I’ve learned a lot of lessons in this sport. Some have cost me a lot. That might be one that really cost me a lot. So, you know, they get smarter every year, but you know I think we all handle things differently after going through things in the past.
I was surprised, I’ll tell you that much, I was surprised hearing the comments. I thought they were humorous, though… pretty entertaining for us.”
Logano says it plays out between the ears as much as it does on the track:
“Games are played every day, I believe so… I believe when you’re out there racing for a win, it’s a battle from every standpoint, whether it’s on track or off track, I believe sometimes it’s a battle. And that ratchets up.
Kevin has been known to be that guy at times. I think how many times he’s made little comments to me, you know, and that seems to ratchet up as the intensity picks up. I feel like he may think it’s a tool in his box that he can use, and you know, it may be successful for him.
It’s probably why he does it, maybe he finds it works. Maybe he finds it works for him as much as hurting somebody else. I can’t answer those questions.”
And what better place to fit all play out than Talladega?
Joey had himself a hell of a wreck earlier this year at Talladega… he’ll be looking for a better finish tomorrow.
