Brad Keselowski says the parts that NASCAR confiscated from his car and Penske Racing teammate Joey Logano’s last week at Texas Motor Speedway were approved. NASCAR says the parts from the rear end housing were not approved.
That will be at issue when the National Stock Car Racing Commission hears Penske Racing’s appeal to the fines, suspensions and point deductions issued on Tuesday. “Obviously, we’re in an agree-to-disagree stage between Penske Racing and NASCAR,” Keselowski said on Friday at Kansas Speedway. “And, thankfully, there’s a third group to settle those disagreements.”
Keselowski and Logano were docked 25 points each. Their crew chiefs, car chiefs and lead engineers — as well as Keselowski team manager Travis Geisler — were suspended for six point races and the All-Star race. Those suspensions won’t begin until after the appeal, and then only if they are upheld. No date has been given.
But Keselowski believes Penske Racing has a case just as Hendrick Motorsports had one last year when it appealed penalties against Jimmie Johnson’s team for an illegal C-post. Most of those penalties were reversed on the second and final level of appeal. “Yeah, there’s definitely some similarities,” Keselowski said. “I’m not going to say it’s an identical situation, but there definitely are some similarities.” The difference, according to NASCAR, is it was emphatic no changes could be made to the rear-end housings late last season. That, according to many in the garage, was re-emphasized repeatedly during the offseason. (ESPN)
