Chase Briscoe’s Crew Chief Suspended Four Races in Massive Post-Race Daytona 500 Penalty
What’s Happening? NASCAR is penalizing Chase Briscoe and the No. 19 team following the Daytona 500 post-race inspection. The L2 penalties…
Wednesday, NASCAR handed down significant penalties to Chase Briscoe and Joe Gibbs Racing, leaving Briscoe with a tough points deficit to overcome. However, Briscoe isn’t the first driver to face such a penalty, so what can previous penalties reveal about his chances of bouncing back?
What’s Happening? NASCAR is penalizing Chase Briscoe and the No. 19 team following the Daytona 500 post-race inspection. The L2 penalties…
In official terms, the No. 19 team violated Sections 14.1.C&D&S: Overall Assembled Vehicle Rules; 14.5.8.A: Spoiler. Following post-race inspection, NASCAR took the No. 19 back to its R & D center and discovered what they believe to be a modification the team made to the spoiler base plate.
A spoiler creates drag and slows a car down. If a team can find a way to reduce this drag, the car will go faster. There is a long history of ways teams have minimized the drag created by the spoiler.
The spoiler is also a single-source-supplied part. These spec parts are a major difference between the NASCAR Next Gen Car and past-generation cars. NASCAR is strict about teams modifying these parts and acted accordingly.
NASCAR fined and penalized the driver, the Crew Chief of the No. 19 and Joe Gibbs Racing:
This is not the first time a NASCAR Cup Series team has been penalized for modifying a single-source-supplied part. In 2023, all four Hendrick Motorsports teams, alongside one Kaulig Racing team, received the same penalties. This time, however, the crew chiefs were also fined $100,000.
Opon appeal, the National Motorsports Appeals Panel upheld the crew chief’s fines and suspension but removed the points penalty. JGR plans to appeal this decision and could have a shot to get their points back.
But if that doesn’t happen, Chase Briscoe will have a long road ahead.
Hopes were high for Chase Briscoe’s new life at JGR. Following a difficult first go-round at the Cup Series level, JGR selected Briscoe to replace Martin Truex Jr.
However, some may feel these hopes are long gone as Briscoe finds himself last in Cup Series standings with a staggering -67 points.
This means that this week, even if Briscoe wins both stages, runs the fastest lap, and wins the race, he will be sitting at -6 points. Of course, that is highly unlikely to happen.
While it may feel like the No. 19 team has a long road ahead, thanks to the NASCAR playoffs and the revocation of the top-30 rule in 2023, it will actually be easier than you think for the No. 19 team to recover. No matter where they sit in points, if they win a race and find momentum, they can recover.
Winning isn’t easy, but if this penalty holds, it might be Briscoe and the No. 19 teams’ only option.
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