Joey Logano penalty leaves Kevin Harvick fuming over NASCAR "inconsistencies"

Kevin Harvick has called out NASCAR after handing Team Penske driver Joey Logano a penalty in Phoenix. 

The reigning Cup Series champion was given the punishment for a restart violation in the Shriners Children's 500 at Phoenix Raceway. NASCAR issued a pass-through penalty, which, once taken, placed Logano at the back of the pack.

Although the Connecticut-born driver managed to finish the race in 13th position, he was furious over his team radio, stating: "No way. It was freakin' nothing. That is ridiculous."

During the most recent episode of the Harvick Happy Hour podcast, Harvick launched a scathing attack on NASCAR's "inconsistent" penalties. He fumed:

“Well this is one of those, it’s a black-and-white call with the way that this rule is written. But if we’re going to call the black-and-white call here, there was definitely a couple situations on the restarts that I would consider questionable. The video right here (of Logano), I mean you can see the car is over the yellow line before the start finish line.

“That’s the rule. I’ve got no problem with black-and-white calls, as long as we call the black-and-white calls all the time. Let’s be consistent. Figure out a way out of this one and not that one. Because there’s not that iron fist that is just ruling these Cup Series races and calling those calls like they need to be called. But there are a lot of things that are black and white, and rules on the restart, rules on the yellow line, if we’re going to call all the black-and-white calls like that one then we need to call them all.”

He continued:

“It’s super easy. That call is super easy. Did we see anybody else get close to the start/finish line below the line for the rest of the day? No. Nobody close. Nobody was even close the rest of the day. It’s just like the restarts. There were a couple of those restarts at the end I was like, ‘Man, it looked to me like the outside guy jumped the inside guy or entered the zone and took off before the control car did.’

Kevin Harvick, Stewart Haas Racing, Busch Light Ford Mustang and Rodney Childers, Stewart Haas Racing

Photo by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Images

“Those inconsistencies, like when they didn’t make that call with Denny (Hamlin at Richmond), that’s the kind of crap I’m tired of. I’m tired of the inconsistencies that go with the officiating. It has been absolute c**p."

Logano looks ahead to the fifth stage of the Cup Series this weekend in Las Vegas.