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The old saying in NASCAR is, “If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying”, but, that doesn’t mean NASCAR lets drivers and race teams get away with large infractions. Some actions force NASCAR to drop a heavy hammer on drivers and race teams, and the impact can be huge for drivers and teams. These are the most heavily impactful penalties in NASCAR history.

• For this list, we will focus on how the penalties impacted the driver and/or race team. Penalties that caused the most overall damage will be considered.
• The impact of a penalty can be catastrophic for a driver or race team. It can derail a season, or, in some cases, the trajectory of a race team or an entire career.
• Fans always remember when NASCAR dropped the hammer on drivers and teams. It always makes for a big story, and it gives fans a lot to talk about.

5. Richard Petty’s Big Motor and Bad Tires: 1983 Charlotte

Why Richard Petty’s 1983 Penalty at Charlotte Still Affects NASCAR Today

In 1983, Richard Petty’s 198th career win was overshadowed by the penalty given out after the face. An oversized engine and left-side tires on the right side of the car led to a 104-point penalty and a $35,000 fine (Over $100,000 in 2024 money). While the 198th win stood, this had a massive impact on Petty Enterprises.

We got into this in detail in the article above, but, Richard was forced to leave Petty Enterprises to find his own ride. The fine was so severe that the team could only field 1 car for 1984, and Richard went out to find his own ride so that his son, Kyle, could keep racing. As a result, Petty’s final 2 career wins came for Country Music Record executive Mike Curb. With how Petty Enterprises declined afterward, it could be said that this penalty was the beginning of the end for the team.

4. Curtis Turner BANNED From NASCAR: 1961

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Bill France made one thing very clear, there would be no unionization in NASCAR. That has remained true to this day, as NASCAR drivers have never officially formed a union, and Curtis Turner is a big reason why. Turner, to the chagrin of Big Bill France, tried to form a driver’s union.

France responded by banning Curtis Turner for life. Now, the ban only lasted 4 years, as Turner came back in 1965, but, the impact was immense. This penalty still impacts NASCAR to this day as no driver’s union has ever been formed, despite other sports forming similar unions.

3. Carl Long’s Oversized Engine: 2009 Charlotte

In 2009 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Carl Long was found to have a slightly oversized engine, which, as Richard Petty found out, is a big no-no. The penalty was a $200,000 fine, then the largest in NASCAR history, and a 12-race suspension. However, the fine was the biggest hurdle.

Being a small team owner, Long could not pay the $200,000 fine, so, NASCAR banned him from competing in the Cup Series. That ban lasted for 8 seasons until Long was finally reinstated in 2017. Since then, Long has made sporadic appearances in NASCAR as a driver, including owning MBM Racing.

2. Mark Martin’s 46 Points: 1990 Richmond

While the points penalty appears pretty minor at first glance, it turns out it changes the entire legacy of Mark Martin’s career. Savvy pit strategy gave Martin the win in the second race of 1990 at Richmond, but, Dale Earnhardt quickly pointed out an illegal carburetor spacer after the race. NASCAR decided to fine Martin $40,000 and 46 points, which ESPN broadcaster Benny Parsons referred to before the next race as, “Like hanging a guy for shoplifting.”

The season wore on, and Martin was in a tight battle with Dale Earnhardt for the Championship throughout the season. Earnhardt won…by 26 points. The 46-point penalty at Richmond cost Martin a Championship, and it was the first of 5 runner-up finishes in his career. Without that penalty, Martin’s legacy is totally different.

1. Spingate: 2013 Richmond

The penalty that killed a race team, “Spingate” was the biggest penalty NASCAR has ever given out. Late in the 2013 Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond Raceway, the last race before “The Chase”, Michael Waltrip Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. was out of the Playoffs with the laps ticking away. MWR teammate Clint Bowyer mysteriously spun out, and fellow teammate Brian Vickers pitted on the ensuing restart for an unknown reason.

People quickly pointed out that something was afoot, and NASCAR investigated. They determined that Clint Bowyer and Brian Vickers’ actions were race manipulation, and the penalty was 50 points for each driver and a $300,000 fine for MWR. Truex Jr. was knocked out of the Playoffs, but, that was the least of MWR’s concerns. Loyal sponsor Napa quickly left, meaning Truex Jr. went elsewhere, and MWR never recovered from the penalty, shutting down after the 2015 season.

These penalties meant the setback of drivers’ careers, race teams, and legacies, and even played a role in an entire race team shutting down. The lesson is simple, don’t mess with NASCAR.