JR Motorsports did not violate the rule NASCAR cited at Darlington and Noah Gragson‘s car should not have been disqualified, the Final Appeal Officer ruled Wednesday, rescinding the penalties NASCAR imposed on the team.
NASCAR cannot appeal the decision.
The result is that Gragson will be restored to his fourth-place finish, collects the $100,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus and will be eligible for the bonus in Saturday’s Xfinity Series at Dover International Speedway. Also going for the bonus will be Gragson’s JR Motorsports teammates Justin Allgaier and Josh Berry and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Brandon Jones.
The Final Appeal Officer, Roger Werner, did not explain how he determined that no violation was committed.
“Everyone at JR Motorsports strives to bring four fast and competitive racecars to the track each and every week and we are happy to see that the ruling was overturned,” said Kelley Earnhardt Miller, general manager of JR Motorsports, in a statement from the team. “The No. 9 team put together a racecar that allowed Noah to win his third Dash 4 Cash prize and compete for the sweep this weekend at Dover International Speedway.”
NASCAR penalized the team after Gragson’s car failed post-race inspection.
NASCAR stated that Gragson’s car was disqualified after failing Rule 20.14.c in the Xfinity Series Rule Book:
The rule states: “All suspension mounts and mounting hardware must not allow movement or realignment of any suspension and/or drivetrain component beyond normal rotation or suspension and/or drivetrain travel.”
NASCAR awarded the $100,000 Dash for Cash bonus to AJ Allmendinger after Gragson’s penalty and upon Allmendinger’s car passing post-race inspection. Allmendinger was the next eligible driver for the bonus. He finished 12th. NASCAR’s penalty dropped Gragson to last in the 40-car field.
