NASCAR imposed a $10,000 fine on Joey Logano last weekend for sporting a webbed glove on his left hand during the Cup race in Atlanta. This glove breached regulations by deviating from the approved safety gear standards, although it did offer Logano a marginal aerodynamic edge. Presently, NASCAR has unveiled Logano’s modified glove to the public.
In an X post, NASCAR provided a close-up view of Logano’s altered glove, revealing webbing between each finger. Beyond any aesthetic resemblance to the Creature From the Black Lagoon, the rationale behind Logano and his team customizing his standard S.F.I.-approved glove with finger webbing, and the potential advantage it might offer, warrants exploration.
NASCAR Cup cars feature open driver-side windows, accompanied solely by a safety window net. At high speeds, the open window can induce aerodynamic drag. To counter this, drivers often use their left hand to obstruct the netting or the gap between the net and the A-pillar, thereby reducing airflow.
Although this maneuver yields minimal gains, even a slight reduction in drag, if it translates to a single additional mile-per-hour, is deemed worthwhile. Consequently, a webbed glove offers a larger surface area for blocking air compared to a conventional glove.
Drivers commonly employ their hands to block the window, an accepted practice. However, Logano’s employment of a wider, webbed glove, which lacked safety approval, led to his infraction and subsequent $10,000 fine.
While some may perceive the fine as minor, numerous NASCAR enthusiasts voiced their discontent on X. Nonetheless, and similar infractions draw fines across various sports; NFL players, for instance, routinely face penalties for donning cleats with custom colors and designs.
Ironically, Logano secured pole position for the Pennzoil 400 race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway using S.F.I.-compliant gloves. Hence, it appears Logano’s success did not hinge on his Spiderman-inspired accessory after all.
Also read: NASCAR Clarifies Timing of Race-Concluding Caution in Daytona 500
