Smack: The give-and-take of perceived drama

1. OK, let's get the obvious out of the way first: Was Joey Logano wrong to go after Kevin Harvick on pit road after the Pocono race?

Chris Stanfield: Wrong? No. Not in the least. Heck, this is a sport where teammates are threatening to "kill" one another on marginal calls during non-points races. Harvick dumped Logano again, plain and simple. And had I been behind the wheel of the 20, I would have voiced my displeasure as well. I gotta say though, I'm not sure I would have been as witty as Logano was in his comments after the race. People will remember the firesuit comment forever. Good stuff. Everyone has their breaking point.

David Caraviello: You know what they say, shovin' is racin', right? Hey, I doubt Joey was going to slug the guy, and Harvick has been involved in enough post-race brouhahas to know these things happen. Nobody gets hurt, no issue. Now, did Tom Logano need to be in there stirring things up? No, but that's another matter altogether. As long as it doesn't resort to out-and-out violence, I don't have a problem with it.

Dave Rodman: Joey Logano obviously did nothing wrong. The kid is passionate, talented and focused -- so he fits right in with this crowd. You would expect nothing less than for him to show his emotion. His entourage -- whoops, check that -- his father, on the other hand, needs to be given an enforced vacation from all "hot" areas for a while.

Chris Stanfield: Was it just me or did Logano look like he was going to cry? You know those type of tears, the ones that come with so much rage you can't hold them back? And with his father beside him, I thought we were going to see a remake of A Christmas Story, where Ralphie kicks the snot out of Scott Farkus for throwing a snowball in Ralphie's face. Even in the movies, the youngster gets his respect.

David Caraviello: The only thing I'm slightly at a crossroads on is this whole notion of how NASCAR "needs" this kind of stuff to gain a bigger piece of the spotlight. If the action itself isn't good enough to do that, then maybe it's time to reevaluate what we're doing here. But then of course, this is a sport that a fight in the infield in 1979 helped launch to national prominence.

Chris Stanfield: Ever watch a hockey game, DC? I used to go to Blues-Blackhawks games to watch those altercations. Emotion is almost always good for a sport.

David Caraviello: Oh, don't get me started on the gooned-up North American version of that sport. But seriously, if the action on the playing field isn't enough in and of itself to get people talking, then we have issues. Maybe I just don't understand why some people need extracurricular violence (or near-violence) to get themselves emotionally involved.

Chris Stanfield: I highly doubt Logano was seeking violence. He just wanted to be heard. Plus, Harvick's pit crew looked like the offensive line for the Cowboys.

Dave Rodman: NASCAR racing is what it is, and I don't think activity like this is gonna affect its impact or ratings too much. And respect? Joey will have to be around a little longer or race differently for that to be comprehensive -- but then again, the point of that is, he isn't ever gonna please everybody, so he might as well keep going like he is.

Chris Stanfield: Action at Pocono? I love it. Had these two played nice in the sandbox earlier in the season at Bristol, I might feel differently about this -- but there comes a time when you have to say enough is enough. I've watched that replay (and the firesuit comment) over and over, and I can't help but think that Harvick feels the No. 20 owes him something. In fact, Harvick said after the race that a) he got into him, and that b) Logano races without giving people respect or room. Really? Check my eyes, but Logano was in front of the No. 29, racing for a top-five finish. No? He's supposed to scooch on over, tip his hat and let the guy pass at that point? Come on ...

Dave Rodman: Well, if Joey compromised his position on the race track and expected to be cut a break -- then shame on him. I would think he's been around long enough to know better than that. And he damned sure should know who's he's racing around, and what their potential is.

David Caraviello: Now, I will say, for a Pocono race, that wasn't bad. The double-file restarts with that wide frontstretch really open things up there. But if there's one thing we've heard over and over this season, it's a drumbeat of guys demanding other guys give them more room. How about ... stop expecting it? How about assume the guy is going to compete and try and cut you off?

Chris Stanfield: Right on! A sense of entitlement seems to be floating over the tracks recently. It's one thing to make a mistake, cut another driver's line and pay the price. It's another to get dumped due to "a lack of respect."

Time to go?

With the incident at Pocono, Mark Spoor and Bill Kimm debate if it's time for family members to be in the stands on not on pit road.

• Complete story
• DeLana on Logano, firesuits
• Menzer: Logano has some fire
• Harvick, Logano feud continues
• Video: The tangle at Pocono
• Shop: 'I wear the firesuit'

David Caraviello: Seriously, everybody wants everybody else to give-give-give, and nobody seems willing to give back. If I'm a driver, I'm not giving you anything, unless you're way faster than me and I'm in the way. Other than that, you're going to have to fight to get by me.

Dave Rodman: Wow. Sounds like you think A.J. Allmendinger did good by knocking Kasey Kahne into the infield and, as I'm told Richard Petty put it, "with one move that boy tore up about a million dollars worth of stuff ..." Or words to that effect.

Chris Stanfield: No one gave me an inch driving in Atlanta traffic this morning. I doubt Harvick would last long on I-85 South.

David Caraviello: No Dave, I think Kahne might have been a little rash in thinking that hole at the far side of the race track, which he had to swoop across to get into anyway, was going to be his for the taking regardless what the guy in front of him thought. Seriously, does anyone think, "Hey, this guy might cut me off?" Ever? It seems not. They see a space, they expect it to be theirs. That mentality is what's causing half these problems.

Dave Rodman: If you consider them problems. A lot of people would consider it "racing" ... at the risk of resorting to a cliche.

Chris Stanfield: I guess the big question is, do either of you think that what Harvick did was intentional? He held his share of tight lines most of the race, and then finds Logano ... They weren't fighting through lapped traffic.

David Caraviello: Different TV angles lead to different opinions on that one, Chris. The only thing clear is that Harvick could have backed off. Easily. Give and take, remember? But nobody does that.

Dave Rodman: Backed off?!? Holy crap -- did you really just say that DC? We've been here before in this forum, I think. No backing off with the rag in sight, and it was, in this case -- particularly at Pocono. From what I saw, Harvick was just barely under Logano and Joey disregarded it -- so he paid. Oh well.

Chris Stanfield: The only thing the altercation needed was Logano screaming "Yeah, well my dad can kick your dad's butt." (Continued)