The National Motorsports Appeals Panel overturned a disqualification issued to Matt Crafton on Thursday following his fifth-place finish at Darlington Raceway on May 6.
Crafton’s No. 88 ThorSport Racing Toyota was disqualified after NASCAR officials deemed the vehicle was too low in the front, violating Section 14.17.3.2.1.2.A Post-Qualifying and Post-Race Front Body Inspection Heights of the NASCAR Rule Book, which states the truck must measure at a minimum height of 5.5 inches. The team was stripped of its fifth-place finish and stage points and was credited with last place.
On Thursday, the panel of Mr. Dixon Johnston, Mr. Tom DeLoach and Mr. Hunter Nickell heard the team’s testimony and determined “the Appellants did not violate the Rule(s) set forth in the Penalty Notice.”
Crafton will be officially credited with a fifth-place finish in addition to having his stage finishes restored — ninth in Stage 1 and seventh in Stage 2. With a total of 38 points scored, Crafton will move to 10th in points, 81 markers behind series leader Ben Rhodes.
