Joey Logano was set to start the Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on the front row alongside Michael McDowell, but was moved to the back of the field due to a rare rules violation.
NASCAR said just before the race that Logano “will stay back and serve a passing penalty at the start of today’s race due to violating NASCAR Rule Book rule 14.3.1.1 (gloves do not meet SFI specification) “.
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Joey Logano during qualifying for the NASCAR Ambetter Health 400 Cup race on February 24, 2024, at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia. (Effrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Chase Elliott was also moved to the backfield “for unapproved adjustments.”
FOX NASCAR analyst Larry McReynolds said on “FOX RaceDay” that Logano was penalized for a safety violation. He said every piece of equipment a driver has must have an “SFI rating,” which is a safety rating.
Joey Logano, No. 22, races into Turn 4 with Michael McDowell, No. 34, during the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 on Feb. 19, 2024, in Florida. (Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
“The glove that Joey had on his left hand was not SFI rated,” McReynolds said. “Everyone does this on super speed tracks in qualifying. They put their left hand up there (next to the safety net) to try to block some air.
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“Evidently, NASCAR felt that the glove he was wearing yesterday was not something he would do in the race, but it wasn’t rated SFI. You can do what Joey did there, everyone does it. But the glove wasn’t rated SFI and That was a security violation.”
Logano took the pole for the Daytona 500 and had another strong run in qualifying heading into the Atlanta race.
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Joey Logano waves to the crowd before the Daytona 500 on February 19, 2024. (Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
McDowell will now have Todd Gilliland and Kyle Busch behind him. He was the only driver to break the 31-second mark.
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