NASCAR voids victory after violation found
The decision was confirmed in a statement from the Andy Santerre Motorsports team that fielded the No. 44 Chevrolet that Sellers drove in the season-opening event. It gives the victory to Austin Dillon, Sellers’ teammate. Dillon is the grandson of Sprint Cup team owner Richard Childress.
“Needless to say we are shocked and disappointed," team owner Andy Santerre said. “We are being made an example."
The violation involved a shock absorber.
“We admit there was a rules infraction," Santerre said. “It was a shock to us as much as it was unintentional and unknown prior to postrace inspection.
"We conceded that and worked with NASCAR to make sure it was not found in any of the other shocks or on the second ASM car. It was not. We understood there would be ramifications, but to go against past precedent and take the win is disappointing."
Historically, NASCAR has levied fines and taken points when a race winner’s car has been found to have issues in postrace inspection, but it has allowed the victory to stand. It also has suspended crew chiefs and Santerre’s crew chief, H.C. Sellers, was suspended for three races.
“They threw the book at us," Sellers said in an interview Monday night on Sirius NASCAR Radio.
“Carl Edwards wins a race and he gets fined $100,000 and 100 points. …It was simply an oversight on our behalf. …It was my first infraction. I’ve had squeaky-clean record and so has Andy. They hit us pretty hard with it." ThatsRacin.com