No. 11 NASCAR
Sprint Cup Series Team Penalized For Rules Infraction At Indianapolis Motor
Speedway
Daytona
Beach,
Fla. (July
29, 2014) — The No. 11 team that competes in the NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series has been penalized for a rules infraction discovered in post-race
inspection July 27 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
This
infraction is a P5 level penalty which is outlined in Section 12-4.5 A (9) of the 2014 NASCAR rule book:
Approved
parts that fail or are improperly installed to fail in their intended use of
great importance (e.g.; rear wheel well panels that fail and allow air
evacuation in the trunk area; oil box cover that fails and allows air
evacuation in the driver compartment; shifter boot cover that fails and allows
air evacuation through the floor pan.
This
infraction violates Sections:
12-1 - Actions detrimental to
stock car racing;
20-2.1 – Car body must be
acceptable to NASCAR officials and meet the following requirements:
·
K – Any device or ductwork
that permits air to pass from one area of the interior of the car to another,
or to the outside of the car, will not be permitted. This includes, but is not
limited to, the inside of the car to the trunk area, or the floors, firewalls,
crush panels and wheel wells passing air into or out of the car;
·
L – All seams of the
interior sheet metal and all interior sheet metal to exterior sheet metal
contact point must be sealed and caulked. This includes, but is not limited to,
floors, firewalls, wheel wells, package trays, crush panels and any removable
covers;
20-3.4 - All references to the
inspection surface in sub-section 20-3.4 have been determined with the front
lower edge of both main frame rails set at six inches and the rear lower edge
of both main frame rails set at eight inches. For driver protection, all
firewalls, floors, tunnels, and access panels must be installed and completely
secured in place when the car is in competition;
20-3.4.5 - A rear firewall,
including any removable panels or access doors, constructed using magnetic
sheet steel a minimum of 22 gage (0.031 inch thick), must be located between
the trunk area and the driver’s compartment and must be welded in place.
Block-off plates/covers used in rear firewalls in place of blowers, oil
coolers, etc., must be constructed of 22 gauge (0.031 inch thick) magnetic sheet
steel. Block-off plates/covers must be installed with positive fasteners and
sealed to prevent air leakage. Carbon fiber or aluminum block-off plates/covers
will not be permitted.
Per Section
12-4.5 B, the minimum P5 penalty includes:
·
Loss of 50 championship
driver and owner points, regardless of whether the violation occurred during a
championship race or not;
·
$75,000 to $125,000 fine;
·
Suspension for the next
six series championship races, plus any non-championship races or special
events which might occur during that period, for the crew chief and any other
team members as determined by NASCAR;
·
Probation through the end
of the calendar year for all suspended members, or for a six-month period
following the issuance of the penalty notice if that period spans across two
consecutive seasons.
Since
this infraction is a P5 level penalty and was discovered in post-race
inspection, Section 12-4.5 C (1,2)
also applies:
·
If the infraction is
detected during post-race inspection, then the following penalty elements will
be added:
o
Loss of an additional 25
championship driver and owner points; regardless of whether it was a
championship race or not;
o
Loss of an additional
$50,000.
As a result of these
violations, crew chief Darian Grubb has been fined $75,000 plus an additional $50,000
post-race fine for a total of $125,000. Grubb has also been suspended from
NASCAR for the next six series championship events, plus any non-championship
races or special events that might occur during that time period. Grubb will
also be on NASCAR probation for the next six months.
Car
chief Wesley Sherrill has been suspended from NASCAR for the next six series
championship events, plus any non-championship races or special events that
might occur during that time period and will be on NASCAR probation for the
next six months.
This
infraction has also cost the No. 11 team the loss of 50 championship driver and
owner (Denny Hamlin and J.D. Gibbs) points plus an additional 25 post-race
points for a total loss of 75 championship driver and 75 championship owner
points.
