NASCAR suspends several crew members for fighting

   No. 24 and No. 5 teams punished for post-Texas incident 
 

   Daytona Beach, Fla. (Nov. 4, 2014) -- NASCAR has assessed penalties to crew members from the No. 5 and No. 24 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams for their involvement in post-race incidents on Nov. 2 at Texas Motor Speedway. In addition, the crew chiefs from those two teams also have been penalized.

   Jeremy Fuller, a crew member with the No. 5 team along with Dwayne Doucette and Jason Ingle, crew members with the No. 24 team, each have been fined $25,000 and suspended from NASCAR through the completion of the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship points races. All three were found to be in violation of:
• Section 12-1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing
• Section 12-4.9: Behavioral penalty – involved in a post-race physical altercation with a driver on pit road

   Dean Mozingo, a crew member with the No. 24 team, has been fined $10,000 and suspended from NASCAR through the completion of the next three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship points races. He was found to be in violation of:
• Section 12-1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing
• Section 12-4.9: Behavioral penalty – involved in a post-race physical altercation with another crew member on pit road

   Kenny Francis, crew chief of the No. 5 team, and Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 24 team, have each been fined $50,000 and placed on NASCAR probation through the completion of the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship points races. They were found to be in violation of:
• Section 9-4A: Crew chief assumes responsibility for the actions of his team members
• Section 12-1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing
• Section 12-4.9: Behavioral penalty

   While the intensity and emotions are high as we continue through the final rounds of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, the actions that we saw from several crew members Sunday following the race at Texas are unacceptable," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR senior vice president/competition and racing development. "We reviewed the content that was available to us of the post-race incident along pit road, and identified several crew members who crossed the line with their actions, specifically punching others."
"We therefore have penalized four crew members as well as their crew chiefs, as they ultimately are responsible for members of their team per the NASCAR rulebook," Pemberton continued. "A NASCAR championship is at stake, but we can't allow behavior that crosses the line to go unchecked, particularly when it puts others in harm's way."

Roger Penske: Brad Keselowski has '100 percent' support

   Team Penske owner Roger Penske issued the following statement on Monday regarding the post-race brawl at Texas Motor Speedway between the teams of Brad Keselowski and Jeff Gordon (and several others):

   "The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup has provided great excitement and intense competition. Brad Keselowski is a champion who competes to win in every race, which is what I expect of him. While the actions by others following the race in Texas were unfortunate, Brad has my 100 percent support as we now move on to Phoenix for the next stage of the NASCAR championship."

Video: Check out Jeff Gordon vs. Brad Keselowski vs. Kevin Harvick

   There were a track-record 13 cautions in Sunday's AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway but even more action took place on pit road after the race.

Part of NASCAR's new testing policy still a work in progress

   NASCAR has already announced a ban on all testing next season for its three national series – Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Trucks. 

   However, some of the testing it did hope to allow – more participation for teams in Goodyear tire tests, for instance – may be running into a roadblock. 

   Goodyear officials maintain their portion of tire tests in 2015 will look much like those this year, which is typically a four-team test unless special circumstances dictate otherwise. 

   Roush Fenway Racing owner Jack Roush, in an interview on SiriusXM Radio’s show “Dialed In” this week, said  there was “substantial resistance” from Goodyear in their ability to provide tires to all the teams NASCAR was looking to allow at tire tests. 

   “I’ll be less surprised if it changes then if it stays the way it is,” Roush said.

   NASCAR says it has not yet formalized the testing plan for next season. 

   "When we announced on Sept. 23 the rules package for the 2015 season, we stated that we were eliminating all teams testing and would be working with Goodyear to build a unified testing plan in which the teams could participate," Gene Stefanyshyn, NASCAR's vice president of innovation, said.

   "We currently are working through that process and have had on-going discussions with Goodyear to develop a proposal that we will share with the teams in near future."

Krista Voda to join NBC Sports' NASCAR broadcast team

    Longtime NASCAR on Fox broadcaster Krista Voda has signed a multi-year agreement to serve as host of NBC Sports’ pre- and post-race NASCAR coverage beginning with the 2015 season.

   In addition to hosting the pre- and post-race shows for the Sprint Cup and what is now the Nationwide series races, Voda's on-air duties will also include regular appearances as host of "NASCAR America" on NBC Sports Network, as well as other assignments across NBC Sports and NBC Olympics. 

   “This role is a dream opportunity for me and I'm honored to be a part of NBC’s return to NASCAR,” said Voda. “We say it often, but it's true: NASCAR is more than a sport, it’s a community. I’ve been blessed, for many years, to stand alongside colleagues who I also consider dear friends. I’m looking forward to this new chapter and the chance to share my knowledge and enthusiasm for storytelling.”

   Voda has served most recently as host of Fox Sports' pre-race show for the NASCAR Truck Series broadcast and as a pit road reporter for its Cup series broadcasts.

    Last year,  NASCAR and NBC Sports Group signed a 10-year agreement granting rights to broadcast the final 20 Cup series races, final 19 Nationwide series events, select NASCAR Regional & Touring Series events and other live content beginning in 2015. 

Danica Patrick: 'I didn't need a program' to get into NASCAR

   During a press conference Friday at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, Sprint Cup Series driver Danica Patrick was asked about the success of NASCAR's diversity program for minority and female drivers since two teams were honoring NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee Wendell Scott with special paint schemes this weekend.

   Patrick seemed to question the need for the program in a back-and-forth exchange with a reporter.

   "I've never benefited from NASCAR's diversity program," she said. "... Well, clearly, then I wouldn't think there needs to be a diversity program if I'm here and I didn't get in. 

   "It wasn't like they asked me to be in it. They didn't give my team or me any money, they didn't say, 'We'd love you,' you know? So I would say that you have to just make it. I'm not saying that being a girl hasn't helped, but I didn't need a program to make it happen."

   Friday night, Jim Cassidy, senior vice president of racing operations, provided the following statement to the Observer in response to Patrick's comments:

   "We're fortunate that there are many different paths of entry into our sport for our participants. We have seen a growing number of talented diverse and female drivers compete in NASCAR thanks to our Drive for Diversity program started in 2004. We’re very proud of the program, which also recruits and trains pit crew members, and remain more committed than ever to it."

   

SHR: Danica Patrick and Kurt Busch team swaps 'right thing' for long-term growth

   Many fans of NASCAR driver Danica Patrick were caught off guard by Stewart-Haas Racing's decision this week to swap the road crews and crew chiefs on Patrick and Kurt Busch's teams, especially since Patrick seemed to be making some progress this season. 

   Greg Zipadelli, SHR's competitor director,was asked Friday why the organization would want to upset an arrangement that seemed to be making progress. Here is his response:

   "I think long term it’s the right thing. There might be a step backwards while they get to learn each other and they grow, but long term, a full year, two years from now I think their personalities between Daniel (Knost) and Danica will work together much better. I think at the same time the same thing will happen on the No. 41 car. That is a team that we have to get going immediately. There isn’t a lot of time for growth," Zipadelli said.

   "We know Kurt is kind of in the prime of his career. We know that he can go out and win races and every race track we go to. We have got to give him that and we have to give Danica the ability to continue to grow and build a relationship with somebody, because she plans on being here a while. We just look at that and it’s kind of the best of both worlds right now. We have both people in house.  One thing we don’t like to do is bring people in from the outside and try them. We like to try to promote and give the people at Stewart-Haas the opportunity. That is kind of why we elected to do what we did.”