Joey Logano slaims 'coward' Kenseth after Martinsville NASCAR clash

Logano had won the previous three races and was at the head of the field with team-mate Brad Keselowski and Kenseth.

The latter duo clashed at a restart, and Kenseth continued to circulate until collecting Logano while being lapped.

Logano and Kenseth came together at Kansas a fortnight ago, with Logano taking a controversial win.

"I think what happened in Kansas was a completely different deal," Logano said.

"We were racing for the win, and he blocks you a few times, we raced hard and he blocked me the last time and we spun out.

"Here was just a complete coward move, especially for a championship race car driver and race team.

"Complete coward. I don't have anything else to say, it was a chicken-you-know-what move to completely take out the leader when your race is over."

Kenseth said the contact with Logano was a result of a flat front-right tyre from the Keselowski brush.

"They were jacking up the restart real bad to let each other in as team-mates," he said.

"I was going to try to race Joey for the win, but Brad wiped me out for some reason.

"We had so much damage on the right front, I probably should have put it in the garage, I got into [Turn] 1, couldn't get it to turn and ran Joey over.

"Sometimes you're the bat, sometimes you're the ball, it's never fun when you're the ball."

Kenseth maintained he had to stand his ground against the Penske pair.

"Sometimes you get put in these spots and you've got to try to keep respect in the garage area," he said.

"You can't get yourself run over, you can't get into the Chase next year and be run over for the same reason."

BUSCH SLAMS CONSISTENCY

Jamie McMurray, who finished second, compared Kenseth with drivers such as "Terry Labonte, Ricky Rudd, those are guys you just did not mess with because you knew they would retaliate".

One spot behind McMurray in the race - one of Kenseth's Joe Gibbs Racing's team-mates - Kyle Busch expressed frustration at the consistency of NASCAR's penalties.

"Did he do anything wrong? I don't know. Did he do anything right? I don't know," he said.

"I think it all depends on whose name's above the door on whether or not you're allowed to do it.

"It's boys being boys right now. You got to be consistent.

"I definitely feel NASCAR is very consistent in being inconsistent on calls. I think it's BS."