Joey Logano found himself on the receiving end of a bump that sent him wrecking into other cars during Stage 3 of Sunday's Shriners Children's 500 at Phoenix Raceway.
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Logano has had speed all season, but once again doesn't have the result to show it after another DNF because of the crash.
This time, John Hunter Nemechek's No. 42 caused the incident.
Though he admitted on the radio that he didn't mean to hit Logano, the driver of the No. 22 wasn't buying what Nemechek was selling.
"My bad. I didn't mean to get into the 22, he slowed up way early"- John Hunter Nemechek https://t.co/YDcFxAATGV pic.twitter.com/F41Czogrsd
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) March 10, 2024
Both drivers seem to have differing views on what happened. While Nemechek said what he said via his radio, Logano certainly told a different tale to Fox Sports' Bob Pockrass after being released from the infield care center. When asked by Pockrass if Nemechek's story held up, Logano offered some advice for the young driver for Legacy Motor Club.
A frustrating day ends with a frustrating wreck for Joey Logano. He felt John Hunter Nemechek could have avoided running into the back of him. pic.twitter.com/XrHWOACJWY
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) March 10, 2024
"Just got hit from behind. Overdrove the corner behind me and uh, wrecked us. It's a shame, we weren't running good at all anyways but doesn't make it any better," Logano said. "Fighting for lucky dogs. You get back there and everyone's racing not real good and we were caught up in one. I didn't slow a bit. Well, you gotta lift to make the corners, Bob. You can't hold it wide open around Phoenix and maybe he should take a look and realize he can't do that too. He drove straight in the back of me and he needs to be man enough to own up to that."
Logano ended the race with a 34th-place finish, which marks his third finish in the first four races outside the top 25.
It's a rough start to the season for the two-time Cup champion, and he's certainly had his troubles with the younger drivers in the Cup series, just look back to the L.A. Clash when he had a run-in with Ty Gibbs.
It likely won't be Logano's last lesson for the youth in the NASCAR Cup Series.
