National Stock Car Commission upholds DEI penalties
The National Stock Car Racing Commission has denied the appeal of Dale Earnhardt Inc.’s No. 1 team over penalties handed down during the Coke Zero 400 race weekend at Daytona International Speedway.
The team and driver Martin Truex Jr. were docked 150 points, crew chief Kevin Manion was fined $100,000 and suspended six races and car chief Gary Putnam was suspended for six races.
NASCAR found in prequalifying inspection that Truex’s No. 1 did not fit roof templates. NASCAR confiscated the car, and the penalties were handed down the week after the race.
Manion and Putnam worked during the appeal, but their six-race suspensions must now begin with this weekend’s Allstate 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
DEI officials had no comment on the commission's ruling.
With the penalty upheld, Truex remains 17th in the standings, 233 points out of 12th with seven races remaining before the Chase For The NASCAR Sprint Cup field is set.
According to a news release from NASCAR, DEI did not contest the violations but argued the penalties were too severe for the infractions. DEI said that despite strict quality control, the team did not know why the roof did not fit the templates.
DEI also said the infractions were minor, not deliberate and wind-tunnel tests proved a lowered roof was a disadvantage.
The three-person commission - Russell Hackett, Jack Housby and Chairman George Silbermann – ruled the infractions were “clear-cut” and that the “roof was low across a broad area.”
“Accordingly, the penalties that were issued are warranted,” the commission said.
DEI has the right to appeal the decision to the National Stock Car Racing Commissioner.
