Photo Credit: Noel Lanier
NASCAR announced that Michael Waltrip Racing’s appeal of the penalties following Sunday’s race at Chicagoland Speedway will be heard next Wednesday. MWR officially filed for the appeal on Thursday.
NASCAR penalized Bowyer 25 driver points, which dropped him to 16th in the current Chase for the Sprint Cup standings. It currently has him 52 points out of the lead and 31 points behind Gordon for the 12th spot in the points. Bowyer finished the first race of the Chase in the 19th position.
Additionally, crew chief Billy W. Scott was fined $75,000 and suspended for the next three races, while being placed on NASCAR probation for the six months following the issue of the suspension. MWR requested for the suspension to be deferred till the appeal was heard, which was accepted by NASCAR and the appeal board. As a result, Scott will be at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend.
NASCAR also penalized car owner Rob Kauffman 25 Sprint Cup Series owner’s point.
The P4 penalty infraction occurred during opening day inspection, with the team breaking Section 12.1, 20. 14.c, 20.14.2.1.k, 12.5.3.4.d, 12.5.3.4.1.d & f, 12.5.3.4.2 of the NASCAR rule book. According to the Associated Press, “NASCAR decided that the truck arms on the car, which are not intended to be adjustable, were indeed flexible”.
Bowyer has two previous wins at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, though has failed to finish in the top-10 in his last two trips to the Magic Mile. At Dover International Speedway, Bowyer has only finished in the top-five twice but has posted a top-10 in each of his nine starts.
