NASCAR Hammers JGR with Massive Penalties
Apr 24 2013 - 1:00pm
Never one to let the grass grow when it comes to penalties, NASCAR today levied heavy fines, penalties and suspensions on Joe Gibbs Racing after its race-winning Toyota failed post-race engine inspection following the STP 400 at Kansas Speedway.
According to NASCAR:
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. Reports out of Charlotte indicate that one of the connecting rods inside the engine was three grams light, or 522 grams. The engines are assembled by Toyota Racing Development, which is why the manufacturer points were taken.
The penalties work out to be almost exactly double those levied against Penske Racing after Texas. Ratcliff got hit with $200,000 and a six-race suspension, Gibbs and Kenseth got 50-point penalties, but no monetary fines.