5-Hour Energy president questions NASCAR’s integrity

The president of sponsor 5-Hour Energy would not commit to staying with Michael Waltrip Racing Sunday but seemed more upset with NASCAR than the race team he sponsors.

Scott Henderson said he would wait until the end of the season to decide whether his company will continue to sponsor MWR’s Clint Bowyer. Bowyer’s spin with seven laps remaining in the Sept. 7 race at Richmond International Raceway set off a chain of events that led to MWR being penalized for manipulating the finish to try to get MWR driver Martin Truex Jr. into the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

NASCAR docked Bowyer and Truex 50 points each and Truex was knocked out of the Chase. His sponsor NAPA announced Thursday that it was dropping its sponsorship at the end of the year.

“We'll see how the year plays out," Henderson said Sunday just before the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Henderson then had one other comment — directed toward NASCAR Chairman Brian France, who added Jeff Gordon as a 13th driver in the Chase last week, declaring that he had the authority to add a driver to what was supposed to be a 12-driver field.

“I've got one thing I've got to say," Henderson said. “There's been a lot of talk about integrity. When the guy who is in charge can say, 'I can do whatever I want, I'm going to do it and I just did it,' I wonder about integrity. I've got to make sure we can win in this sport." NSSN