Helton frowns on Harvick-Kenseth shenanigans

LONG POND, Pa. -- You'd think this was Bristol, not Pocono.

A wild scene at the end of Sunday's Pocono 500 left Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth steamed at each other and in the NASCAR hauler for nearly an hour.

POCONO Jimmie Johnson celebrates his ninth career Cup win Play video Kenseth and Harvick tangle, Johnson wins under caution Play video Ryan Newman is angry at Robby Gordon after wrecking Play video Wimmer slips on some oil bringing out the fifth caution Play video  •  Unofficial Results  •  Unofficial Standings

The fracas started just before the final caution of the day flew for blown engines by Dale Jarrett and Jeff Burton. Harvick passed Kenseth coming out of Turn 1, cutting across the nose of Kenseth's car.

Kenseth then used the front of his car to lift Harvick's back wheels off the ground and passed him again as the yellow came out.

While the race was under caution, Harvick spun Kenseth into the infield in Turn 3 on lap 197. Kenseth then returned the favor on the backstretch on the following lap.

After a lengthy meeting between the parties following the race in the NASCAR hauler, it was determined that both Kenseth and Harvick would be scored on the tail end of the lead lap. Thus, Harvick was scored 20th and Kenseth 21st.

Harvick had been scored 11th originally.

NASCAR president Mike Helton said Sunday that the sanctioning body will review the tapes of the incidents and that further penalites will be considered.

"It boils down to a frustration level between the 17 and the 29 that got played out on the racetrack, under caution, and that's something we frown on... greatly," Helton said.

	Matt Kenseth had no comment about the incidents immediately after the race. Credit: Autostock

Kenseth bristled past reporters after the meeting, choosing not to comment. Harvick, on the other hand, didn't stay silent.

"I don't know what his deal is," Harvick said of Kenseth. "I raced him clean and cleared him and he got up underneath me and tore my back bumper.

"Then under caution, he brake-checked me and spun himself out. I don't know why he decided to try and wreck me.

"He needs to check his ego because it's getting too big."

Race winner Jimmie Johnson was oblivious to the incident until after his victory.

"When we were at Victory Lane, I heard about the fiasco," he said. "I look forward to seeing it on television."