- Starting immediately, NASCAR can now publish the National Motorsports Appellate Committee’s justification and the final appeals officer’s justification for modifying or overturning the penalty.
- However, the action that can be taken by those dealing with the appeal has been restricted.
- Under the changes, the Appeals Committee and the Final Appeal Officer may not remove any element of the originally imposed sentence set forth in the penalty notice.
Two weeks of turmoil in the NASCAR appeals process led to changes in the sanctioning body’s rule book as more penalties were imposed against Hendrick Motorsports after last weekend’s event at Richmond Raceway.
Starting immediately, NASCAR can now publish the National Motorsports Appellate Committee’s justification and the final appeals officer’s justification for modifying or overturning the penalty. However, the action that can be taken by those dealing with the appeal has been restricted.
Under the changes, the Appeals Committee and the Final Appeals Officer may not remove any element of the originally prescribed penalty set forth in the Notice of Punishment as specified in Rulebook Section 10.5.2. The determination of penalties and modifications to the penalty are limited to the minimum and maximum ranges as stated in the rule book.
An example given by NASCAR states that if the assessed penalty consists of points deductions, monetary fines, and suspension, all three elements of the originally assessed penalty must remain. However, the amount of each item can be adjusted within the range of the minimum and maximum penalty.
The changes announced Thursday came a week after the three-person National Motorsports Appeals Committee reinstated the 100 points and 10 playoff points NASCAR earned from Hendrick Motorsports for adjusting its four-race cars at Phoenix last month. The appeals committee kept the four-race suspension and $100,000 fine NASCAR assessed to each crew chief.
On Wednesday, a three-person motorsports appeals panel ruled differently for Kaulig Racing, which was given the same penalty for a similar breach. That committee reduced Coolig’s 100-point penalty to 75 points, retained a $100,000 fine, a four-week suspension for crew chief Trent Owens and a 10 playoff spot deduction.
Kaulig’s decision left the NASCAR community scratching their heads over different decisions for the same offense. Kulig is now appealing that decision to the Final Appeal Officer. No date has been set for this appeal.
On Thursday, another three-person appeals panel upheld a $50,000 fine and 25 driver points, and NASCAR evaluated Denny Hamlin for admitting he intentionally put Russ Chastain in the wall at Phoenix. While Hamlin’s appeal was underway Thursday, NASCAR released the post-Richmond and post-Texans penalty report.
After a post-race inspection at the NASCAR Cup Garage in Richmond, it was announced that the cars raced in the short course by William Byron and Alex Bowman would be taken to NASCAR’s R&D Center in Concord, NC, for cannibalization. NASCAR ruled the overall assembly car, the geometry change record and the car’s glass house violated the rules. Alternate crew chiefs Brian Campy and Greg Ives were each fined $75,000 and suspended from two NASCAR events. The crew chief’s suspension begins April 13, which is after the regular Hendrick crew chiefs return from a four-week suspension. The loss of each team and driver was assessed by 60 points and five playoff points.
In a prepared statement, Hendrick Motorsports said the sanctions issued Thursday by NASCAR were under review and the organization’s next steps would be determined after Sunday’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
The penalty report from Texas Track Racing showed that the Trucks driven by Nicholas Sanchez, Chase Purdy and Jack Wood had committed multiple inspection violations on opening day. It has included the engine oil tank cover and tank cover, and the overall assembled vehicle. Each team lost 10 owner and driver points.
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