Penalties have been handed down to the No. 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series team as a result of rule violations discovered in the post-race engine
inspection April 23 at the NASCAR Research and Development Center.
The No. 20 car was found to have violated Sections 12-1 (actions
detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4J (any determination by NASCAR officials
that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules);
and 20-5.5.3 (E) (Only magnetic steel connecting rods with a minimum weight of
525.0 grams will be permitted; connecting rod failed to meet the minimum
connecting rod weight) of the 2013 rule book.
As a result of this violation, NASCAR has assessed the following
penalties:
Crew chief Jason Ratcliff has been fined $200,000 and suspended
from NASCAR until the completion of the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
championship points events (a period of time that also includes the non-points
NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race) and placed on probation until Dec. 31.
Car owner Joe Gibbs has lost 50 championship car owner points; the
first place finish from April 21 at Kansas Speedway will not earn bonus points
toward the accumulated aggregate car owner points total after the completion of
the first 26 events of the current season and will not be credited towards the
eligibility for a car owner Wild Card position; has had the owner’s license for
the No. 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car suspended until the completion of the
next six championship points events, therefore being ineligible to receive
championship car owner points during that period of time.
Driver Matt Kenseth has lost 50 championship driver points; the
Coors Light Pole award from April 19 at Kansas Speedway will not be allowed for
eligibility into the 2014 Sprint Unlimited; the first place finish from April
21 at Kansas Speedway will not earn bonus points toward the accumulated
aggregate driver points total after the completion of the first 26 events of
the current season and will not be credited towards the eligibility for a
driver Wild Card position.
The loss of five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Manufacturer
Championship points.
Wow, rough day for our Wisconsin drivers.
ReplyDeleteWow! Great to see this. Looks like my thoughts on your previous post have come to reality. Great job by NASCAR to handle this.
ReplyDeleteWowww!! That certainly is hammered.
ReplyDeleteOuch. That will leave a mark.
ReplyDeleteMore than likely a quality control issue with only one failing but still a big hit for JGR.
No way the shop can really check that either without tearing the engine down after they get it from TRD which kind of defeats the purpose of using TRD to build the engine in the first place.
Now that is way over the top in penalties. NASCAR is out to lunch.
ReplyDeleteJGR doesn't touch the engines, and for NASCAR to slam them over ONE connecting rod of the batch being underweight is hogwash.
ReplyDeleteNASCAR, making fools of themselves since 1949
If NASCAR is not going to enforce its rules when ONE rod is underweight, how can it enforce the rules for two? Or three? Or eight?
DeleteUh... Fine the actual perp....TOYOTA ? but this is typical in todays world, don't hold the true offender responsible... blame/fine the innocent ?
DeleteI agree with Dave, there is should be a line not shadow when it comes to rules
ReplyDeleteIs the # 20 parked for 6 races since Joe Gibb's owner's license was suspended for 6 races or does Gibbs "just" lose championship car owner's points for that period of time?
ReplyDeleteAnd yet the 48 gets away with everything. I still don't understand how they can cheat so blatantly and not receive these kinds of penalties. Knaus makes a rear window pivot up and down, tells his driver to hit the wall if he wins and many other rules infractions without anything that comes close to this. I just don't get it.
ReplyDeleteNASCAR has changed just about every area they do business in except they are still unwilling to disqualify cheaters.
ReplyDeleteTell me again why qualifying procedures, cars, race procures, cars, and point system have all been changed to the 21st century, but they still won't DQ teams?
Given the penalties that were handed out, NASCAR should have just disqualified them. Short tracks around the country disqualify drivers on a regular basis. The first ever Cup race winner in 1949 was disqualified. Why can't NASCAR do it now?
ReplyDeleteDave, 3 grams is miniscule and the penalty is huge for JGR, of which I am not a big fan due to KBusch and Denny. I understand your comment but NASCAR can use this to put a line in the sand, not to overly punish. Let's use some common sense here.
ReplyDeleteI guess if anyone asks has Nascar ever taken a Win away from a driver for violations.. Now we can say No.. buy Essentially yes...
ReplyDeletePoints penalty: > 1 race max points. Plus no 'credit for a win' as pertains to Wild card & Chase bonus.
Loss of $200k (not that that really matters).. I'm kinda wondering why they did not take the winner's purse.
The bit about No Owner points for JGR for 6 races for his team.. I'm not sure how that effects anything.. Except for now we have the weird possibility of a CUP champion driver but a different Owner's Championship.. Would that be weird.
(Editorial note.. I'm a Huge JGR fan. and totally wondering what he has done Karmicly this year to earn the Havoc this team is having).
Alan
With the severity of the penalties, NASCAR should have just disqualified them and been done with it. Why take away a race-plus worth of points but still allow them to keep the trophy? It's not like there isn't precedent - the first ever Cup (Strictly Stock) winner in 1949 was disqualified for illegal springs. And short tracks around the country do it on a weekly basis. I'm not sure when it became taboo for NASCAR to disqualify teams in the top three divisions, but I wouldn't mind seeing it come back. As a preventative/shaming measure, I think it would be more effective then a 50-point penalty.
ReplyDeleteWho are Nascar? Who are the people who made the decision? We never here a name to go along. Is it one person a group of people?
ReplyDelete