NASCAR issued severe penalties Thursday to Chris Buescher and his team for a violation with the team’s front bumper cover.
NASCAR docked Buescher and the team 60 points each and five playoff points each. NASCAR also suspended crew chief Scott Graves for the next two races and fined the team $75,000 for the L1 infraction. The suspension to Graves covers this weekend’s All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro and next weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte.
RFK Racing said in a statement that “we remain committed to full compliance with NASCAR’s rules. We are carefully reviewing the details of the situation to determine if we will file an appeal within the timeframe allotted.”
The team listed Doug Randolph as the crew chief for this weekend’s All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro on the crew roster submitted to NASCAR.
The North Carolina short track will play host to the All-Star Race for the third consecutive season.
Buescher was 12th in the points — in a playoff spot — after his eighth-place finish last weekend at Kansas Speedway. The penalty drops him to 24th in the standings.
He’s now 27 points out of the final playoff spot with 14 races left in the regular season. Buescher’s RFK Racing teammate, Ryan Preece, moves up into the final playoff spot with Buescher’s penalty.
NASCAR cited the team for violating Section 14.5.4.G, which states: “The front fascia may be strengthened on the inner surface with bonded on non-metallic materials in the area contacting the bumper foam and up to 2 inches further in all directions.”
Brad Moran, managing director of the Cup Series, said on NASCAR’s Hauler Talk podcast that the piece is a single-sourced item that NASCAR allows teams to reinforce. Moran that the No. 17 team had a “larger area than what is permitted to be bonded into the nosepiece, which resulted in a violation. … It’s an area that they can work on, but they went too far would be the simplest ways of putting it.”
NASCAR also cited 14.1.C, which states: “Vehicles must comply with Section 14 Vehicle and Driver Safety Specifications of the NASCAR Rule Book at all times during an Event. Failure to comply will be subject to Penalty pursuant to Section 10 Violations and Disciplinary Action.”
Buescher’s car was one of two taken to NASCAR’s R&D Center after the Kansas race. NASCAR issued no other penalties Thursday.
Here is a look at the updated playoff standings after Buescher’s penalty (names in yellow are those who have won this season):
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