Kenseth drove the No. 20 Toyota to his second win of the season Sunday in Kansas, where he held off Kasey Kahne of Hendrick Motorsports in the closing laps. It is standard procedure for the race winning engine to go back to Concord for a thorough inspection.
Penalties have been handed down to the #20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team as a result of rule violations discovered in the post-race engine inspection April 23 at the NASCAR Research and Development Center.
The #20 car was found to have violated Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4J (any determination by NASCAR officials that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules); and 20-5.5.3 (E) (Only magnetic steel connecting rods with a minimum weight of 525.0 grams will be permitted; connecting rod failed to meet the minimum connecting rod weight) of the 2013 rule book. As a result of this violation, NASCAR has assessed the following penalties:
- Crew chief Jason Ratcliff has been fined $200,000 and suspended from NASCAR until the completion of the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship points events (a period of time that also includes the non-points NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race) and placed on probation until Dec. 31.
- Car owner Joe Gibbs has lost 50 championship car owner points; the first place finish from April 21 at Kansas Speedway will not earn bonus points toward the accumulated aggregate car owner points total after the completion of the first 26 events of the current season and will not be credited towards the eligibility for a car owner Wild Card position; has had the owner’s license for the #20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car suspended until the completion of the next six championship points events, therefore being ineligible to receive championship car owner points during that period of time.
- Driver Matt Kenseth has lost 50 championship driver points; the Coors Light Pole award from April 19 at Kansas Speedway will not be allowed for eligibility into the 2014 Sprint Unlimited; the first place finish from April 21 at Kansas Speedway will not earn bonus points toward the accumulated aggregate driver points total after the completion of the first 26 events of the current season and will not be credited towards the eligibility for a driver Wild Card position.
- The loss of five NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Manufacturer Championship points.
The engine, which is supplied by Toyota Racing Development out of Costa Mesa, Calif., failed because one of the eight connecting rods did not meet the minimum weight requirement. While it could be a quality control issue that did not provide Kenseth any advantage, NASCAR would still hold JGR and the No. 20 team responsible.
The failed inspection comes on the heels of NASCAR penalizing Penske Racing for using parts it said were unapproved in the rear suspension of its cars at Texas. NASCAR docked 25 points each from defending champion Brad Keselowski and teammate Joey Logano, fined the crew chiefs $100,000 each and suspended seven Penske employees for six races.
Penske Racing’s appeal is scheduled for May 1.
NASCAR is far stricter about engine infractions and severely punished the last violator, Carl Long, who was found to have an illegal engine at the 2009 All-Star Race. Long was docked 200 points — which would be about 50 points under the current points system — fined $200,000 and suspended 12 races.
His suspension was reduced to eight races on appeal, but Long is unable to pay the fine and can’t work in the Sprint Cup garage until he settles his debt with NASCAR.
