Since Joey Logano got busted for using webbed gloves that violated SFI 3.3 ratings in Atlanta, he finished in the top 10 only once in the next five races. The Team Penske driver turned his fortunes around emphatically on Sunday in Richmond. He took his #22 Ford from a P10 qualifying spot to a P2 podium finish, behind JGR rival Denny Hamlin’s controversially restarted second-season victory. Hamlin’s 5th Richmond victory received claims of cheating and foul play, and two-time champ Logano has a bone to pick with NASCAR over recurrent claims of Denny Hamlin favoritism.

Joey Logano is upset over inconsistent calls: “Why was it okay last week?”

From FOX’s broadcast crew to the most affected driver, Martin Truex Jr on pit road, many eyes noticed what looked like Denny Hamlin jumping “a few feet ahead” in overtime. However, under green-white-checkered conditions, Joe Gibbs Racing #19 teammate ran alongside the #11 Toyota in P2 on the restart. Logano’s #22 ran behind Hamlin’s queue. The 3-time Daytona 500 jumped early on the restart, and Logano overtook the #19, while Kyle Larson’s #5 slingshot past a dominant-all-race Martin Truex Jr for an almost deserving P3 finish.

Additionally, Logano’s P2 marked Team Penske’s second podium spot this season, and maybe there would have been more if not for the #22 team and #12 Ryan Blaney’s average starts to the season, courtesy of wrecks and penalties. The 33-year-old Connecticut native made his frustrations clear over the inconsistent officiating on SiriusXM’s NASCAR radio.

“If I get a black flag for doing that next week. I am gonna be pissed, because why was it okay last week? And I don’t think this was even a question. The restart was not even under review until Truex said he jumped the start. It wasn’t even a thought in NASCAR’s mind. I don’t think. Because if there is something, they are very quick to say, the restart’s under review. I mean they would say that while they’re going down the backstretch, right after they took the green. That’s typically how it goes, and this one? Not a word was said until way past the end of the race when we’re doing post-race interviews.”

He concluded by stating, “Of course now they can’t make the call, they didn’t even put it under review.” However, Denny Hamlin recently revealed on Actions Detrimental that the favoritism controversy wasn’t the whole story. He had his reasons for his actions in Richmond.

“Reasons” behind Denny’s restart jump

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Denny Hamlin and co-host Jared Allen enthralled listeners with another enlightening post-race discussion on their Dirty Mo Media Network podcast. The duo brought up tweets from Chevrolet development trainer Josh Wise to Hamlin himself explaining the pressure of not wanting to give up the “advantage of being the race leader.” Furthermore, Hamlin went on to reveal cheeky short-track moves on the part of MTJ, and Logano forced the hand behind the #11 Toyota.

Although, NASCAR VP Elton Sawyer agreed to the Joe Gibbs Racing superstar rolling out a few feet “early” after video reviews over the week, the #22 driver’s sentiments of it being too late now resonate deep within the collective NASCAR community. Nevertheless, Denny Hamlin’s Richmond victory ties JGR with three out of seven wins with HMS heading into Martinsville, and a determined Martin Truex Jr, as well as a resurgent Joey Logano, have been raring to go for an inaugural victory.

Will “the half-mile of mayhem” at Martinsville enact revenge or reclamation from the motivated contenders, or will NASCAR’s scrutinized officiating spill water over their plans another time next race week?

Denny Hamlin ‘Concedes’ to Jumping Richmond Restart Albeit to Stay ‘A Few Feet’ Ahead