By Caleb Whisler, Staff Writer
NASCAR has announced penalties following the race weekend at ISM Raceway in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series.
Chase Elliott and the No. 9 have been assessed with a L1 penalty for violating section 20.14.2 in the NASCAR rule book, which deals with the rear suspension and trailing arm angles/pinions angle shims. NASCAR found that the trailing arm spacer/pinion angle were not planar and not in complete contact with the corresponding mating surfaces at all points at all times.
Crew chief, Alan Gufstason, has been fined $50,000. Car chief, John Kirk, has been suspended for the next two Cup points events. The team will also lose 25 driver and owner points. With the penalty, Elliott drops from 16th in the points to 23rd.
Hendrick Motorsports will appeal the penalty.
Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Rickey Stenhouse Jr., Joey Logano and Martin Truex Jr. in the Cup series and Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch in the XFINITY series were all found to be in violation of section 10.9.10.4 for at least one lug not properly secured after the race. Crew chiefs, Mike Wheeler, Jeremy Bullins, Brian Pattie, Todd Gordon and Cole Pearn have been fined $10,000, while Eric Phillips and Brian Wilson were fines $5,000, respectively.
NASCAR has also indefinitely suspended Brandon Lee and Wayne Kanter for violating the substance abuse policy defined in the rule book.