NASCAR looking to clarify penalties issued in Chase (2nd Update)
In the Sprint Cup Series, the first offense for one missing lug nut would be a P2 penalty with a $10,000 fine. The second offense would be a $20,000 fine. Now it will take two or more missing lug nuts for a crew chief to be suspended one race. If there are only 18 properly secured lug nuts, the P3 penalty will result in a one race crew chief suspension, the loss of 15 championship owner and driver points and a $20,000 fine. NBC Sports
09/14/16 NASCAR introduced rules changes for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup playoffs on Wednesday, giving competition officials the power to issue more stringent rulings on technical infractions involving post-race laser inspections and lug nuts. The developments were announced just days before the series visits Chicagoland Speedway for Sunday's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400, the opening event in the 10-race Chase playoffs. Similar changes, where applicable, will also be in place for the inaugural Chase events in NASCAR's XFINITY Series and Camping World Truck Series, which get underway in two weeks, at Kentucky and New Hampshire, respectively.
The changes allow NASCAR officials to strip race-winning teams of the benefits associated with a Chase victory, which include the automatic advancement into the next elimination round and any tiebreaker implications, should those teams fail the post-race lug-nut check or the post-race Laser Inspection Station (LIS) platform. Previously, lug-nut infractions have resulted in a one-race suspension and a fine for the crew chief while LIS failures have carried a point deduction in the drivers' and owners' championship points in addition to the crew chief fine.
Going into the Chase, post-race failure of the LIS platform will now be deemed a P4 level penalty if a vehicle's rear toe measurements exceed the allowed measurements on both sides. In the Sprint Cup Series, the first violation would result in an encumbered finishing position, the loss of 35 championship driver and owner points, as well as a three-race suspension and $65,000 fine for the crew chief.
In the XFINITY Series, the penalties would be the same, but the crew chief fine would be $20,000. The LIS platform is not a part of the NCWTS inspection process.
The penalties will be the same as those for an LIS infraction if a vehicle is found to have 17 or fewer lug nuts in place following the completion of the event (in Sprint Cup, XFINITY or Camping World Truck). NASCAR.com
| Typically in NASCAR if you cheat to win you will always keep your win and receive a slap on the wrist monetary and points fine. You will always be listed as the winner. In our book – if your car is found to be illegal it should be excluded from the results and you lose everything. Do that and all cheating will stop. |
09/11/16
NASCAR officials are considering a plan on how they will address potential race winners and others competing in the Chase who are caught for rules violations. This season, NASCAR has unveiled several new rules – new lug nut penalties and the use of the laser inspection station in pre-race and post-race inspections are among them – that could possibly come into play in racing for a championship.
NASCAR officials say they want clarity for teams and fans on how these rules will be addressed when it comes to finishes in the Chase, which largely determine which of the 16 drivers advance through the three rounds and into the championship race at Homestead, Fla.
The goal of the plan, which they hope will be completed this week but is not yet set in stone, will be to strike a balance between egregious issues and ensuring a team doesn't receive something akin to a "death penalty" for a small issue with no realistic impact on the finishing order. If the plan is adapted, it would be put into effect prior to the start of next weekend's Chase in the Cup series at Chicagoland Speedway but would apply to all three national series. Motorsport