AVONDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 10: Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, crosses the finish line ahead of Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Menards/RichmondWaterHeater Ford, to win the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway on November 10, 2024 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
AVONDALE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 10: Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, crosses the finish line ahead of Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Menards/RichmondWaterHeater Ford, to win the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway on November 10, 2024 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Joey Logano says race manipulation at Phoenix would have received heavy punishment

NASCAR told drivers … at Phoenix Raceway that any instances of race manipulation in the championship race would cost them dearly.

Newly crowned three-time champion Joey Logano relayed the message … during an interview with 2014 champion Kevin Harvick on his Happy Hour YouTube show.

This edict was a response to the race manipulation debacle that erupted in the aftermath of the penultimate race of the season at Martinsville.

Logano how explained what that rection would have been like on Sunday.

“They did threaten us before the race that if anyone manipulates the race somehow, you are not racing in the Daytona 500 next year,” Logano said. “Is that a threat? Is that real? We’ll know if something happened. I didn’t see anything happen (Sunday) but this playoff system is a big piece of it and who do you answer to? That’s the question you have to ask, who do you answer to?

Sportsnaut