AVONDALE, Ariz. - NASCAR officials on Thursday confirmed they required the three Sprint Cup teams still in the hunt for the series championship to submit the cars they plan to run in the season finale to pre-race inspection.
Earlier this week, the teams of Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick were required to take the cars they plan to use next week at Homestead, Fla., to NASCAR's research and development center in Concord, N.C., for a precautionary inspection.
Officials confirmed all three cars met template measurements.
NASCAR received a lot of criticism when it levied harsh penalties on driver Clint Bowyer after his car failed inspection at the R&D center days after his win in the opening race of the Chase for the Cup at New Hampshire.
With two races left in the Chase, Hamlin holds a 33-point lead over Johnson and a 59-point advantage over Harvick.
Johnson has won the last four Cup titles.
