Wednesday, September 23, 2015

MWR, Bowyer Hammered For Chicagoland Violation

The No. 15 5-Hour Energy Toyota team and driver Clint Bowyer have been penalized by NASCAR for infractions discovered in opening day inspection at Chicagoland Speedway.  

The infraction(s) resulted in a P4-level penalty for the team. Crew chief Billy Scott has been fined $75,000, suspended for the next three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events and placed on NASCAR probation for six months. Clint Bowyer has been penalized 25 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship driver points, with Rob Kauffman penalized 25 owner points.   

NASCAR has requested that the Appeals Administrator of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel expedite the appeals process outlined in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rule book.  

Pending appeal, the deduction of driver points drops Bowyer to last place in the 16-man Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. He now has 2005 total points, 26 out of the final transfer spot currently held by Jeff Gordon and four points behind 15th-place Kevin Harvick.  

Michael Waltrip Racing has issued a statement saying the team “respectfully disagrees with today’s penalties and plans to immediately appeal. MWR has made mistakes in the past, but we feel we are correct in this instance. We look forward to the opportunity to present our case to the appeals committee and have no further public comment until the process is completed.”

6 comments:

  1. all part of NASCAR's plan to make sure there is nothing left of MWR before they announce the franchise values of each race team in the off season. They already know what it will be, but they are waiting for MWR to exit penniless before they make that announcement. If it was a car from Hendrick, SHR, RCR, JGR or Penske, none would have been penalized and we would have never heard of it. NASCAR already took away a 14 million dollar sponsor from MWR (and gave it to Hendrick) and almost cost Truex his racing career, but I guess they won't stop until Kaufman is firmly tucked under Ganassi's wing and Waltrip is left out in the cold.

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    1. I've heard a billion Black Helicopter theories over the years, but this, my friend, is the goofiest of all. Try to stay out of the liquor cabinet until at least afternoon.

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    2. I actually surprised NASCAR didn't knock him out of the top 16 and insert Kasey Kahne instead.

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  2. Anonymous9:48 AM

    I will never understand why the driver is punished for technical penalties. Clint Boyer isn't an engineer. Not by a long shot. Yet he suffers a penalty because of his crew chief getting caught rolling the dice.

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    1. Because if teams could run illegal parts and keep their championship driver points, they'd cheat every week, pay the fines and win the championship. Driver points are the only currency that really matters in NASCAR.

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