Panel Mostly Upholds Kaulig Racing Penalties
The National Motorsports Appeals Panel ruled Wednesday to slightly reduce the Kaulig Racing No. 31 team’s points penalties but uphold all other penalties.
The No. 31 team will be penalized 75 driver and owner championship points, 10 driver and owner playoff points. Crew chief Trent Owens is also suspended for four races and is fined $100,000.
“I respect everybody involved but it’s disheartening. Everyone knows what goes on in the garage area with single-source parts. I stand by my guys and I say that we upheld the rules,” Kaulig Team President Chris Rice told FS1.
Hunter Nickell, Shawna Robinson and Steve York heard Kaulig Racing’s appeal Wednesday.
NASCAR penalized the No. 31 team the week after after confiscating a louver before qualifying at Phoenix Raceway. They also penalized all four Hendrick Motorsports teams after confiscating their louvers before qualifying at Phoenix.
Each team faced:
- A loss of 100 driver and owner championship points (No. 9 team exempt from driver points penalty)
- A loss 10 driver and owner playoff points (No. 9 team exempt from driver points penalty)
- $100,000 fine and four-race suspension for all crew chiefs
Panelists Kelly Housby, Dixon Johnston and Bill Lester upheld Hendrick Motorsports’ fines and suspensions but scrubbed points penalties against the organization.
Details of each appeal are unclear. The only details released are the panelists’ names and the final, agreed-upon penalties.
Kaulig Racing is expected to make a final appeal on the penalties. The final appeals officer is Langley Speedway owner Bill Mullis.
