NASCAR Ups the Ante on Haas/CNC

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NASCAR increases its points penalties for teams by fifty percent.

The going rate for infractions to the new car had been rather consistent at 100 owner and driver points, $100,000. fines for the crew chiefs and and 6 races suspensions for said crew chiefs. But with the Haas/CNC infractions on the Scott Riggs and Johnny Sauter cars come 150 point penalties. NASCAR PR released this statement:

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The No. 66 car driven by Scott Riggs and the No. 70 car driven by Johnny Sauter were found to be in violation of Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 20-3.1.3A (wing mounting locations were not as specified by the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rule Book). The infractions were discovered May 24 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

As a result, Riggs and No. 66 car owner Joe Custer have been penalized 150 championship driver and 150 championship owner points, respectively, as have Sauter and No. 70 car owner Margaret Haas. Both the crew chiefs and the car chiefs for the two cars – Bootie Barker and Derick Jennings for the No. 66 and Dave Skog and Thomas Harris for the No. 70 – have been suspended from the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events, suspended from NASCAR until July 9 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31. Additionally, Barker and Skog have each been fined $100,000 apiece.

The penalty also includes NASCAR’s confiscation of team 66 Serial Number HMS 12 06 415 race car and team 70 Serial Number HMS 04 08 507 race car.

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You have to wonder if adding 50 points to the penalties is because NASCAR sees two cars from the same stable as being more offensive than if it had been just one. Or were the penalties increased because it was the wing area that was violated. NASCAR has taken a dim view of messing with the wing and its fittings.

Then again, Barker claimed that they had been using the same wing brackets the entire season with no problems and not a mention from any tech inspector. And they had passed inspection three times that same day. NASCAR’s Kerry Tharpe said the garage is self policing. That has to be interpreted as saying some fellow team threw the Haas/CNC boys under the bus.

The most likely candidates would be those teams and cars most likely to benefit from the 66 and 70 cars falling down the points ladder. A hard look has to be taken at the #55 and #77 teams of Michael Waltrip Racing and Penske Racing. Those two teams stand to gain the most with the redone points. Whether either of those teams or some other are the “garage police” for NASCAR, the system stinks worse than moldy leftovers.

Should cheaters be dealt with accordingly? Absolutely. Should NASCAR take a look at its inspection process? Absolutely. If what Bootie Barker says is entirely true, then the inspectors that have passed those cars for eleven of the first twelve races should be disciplined as well.

photo credit: Icon Sports Media