KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Chip Ganassi Racing’s final appeal of Kyle Larson’s Damaged Vehicle Policy violation from the 1000Bulbs.com 500 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway was denied late Friday night by National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer Bryan Moss.
As a result, all penalties that were assessed to Chip Ganassi Racing as a result of the infraction are now confirmed. The last-recourse session was heard at 8 p.m. ET Friday night, where the burden of proof was on the Ganassi team’s shoulders.
Larson and the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 team were assessed an L1-level by NASCAR on Wednesday afternoon for violating section 10.9.9.d of the NASCAR Rule Book, which pertains to the Damaged Vehicle Policy and mechanical repairs to a race car.
That portion of the rule book notes that no matter how damage is received, the race team can only reattach original body parts of the car with fasteners and/or tape.
The No. 42 team reattached parts via metal tabs following a blown tire and subsequent crash during Sunday’s 1000Bulbs.com 500 at Talladega. Larson ultimately finished 11th in the race won by Aric Almirola.
The original penalties assessed were a fine of $25,000 to crew chief Chad Johnston, a one-race suspension for car chief David Bryant, a loss of 10 owner points for the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing team and a loss of 10 driver points for Larson.
Upon hearing the testimony, the decisions of the Final Appeals Officer were that the appellants violated the rules described in the penalty notice and that the decision of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel to uphold the original penalty issued by NASCAR is affirmed and made final.
Moss’ decision is binding on all parties.
Of note, the three-member appeals panel which heard the original appeal earlier on Friday consisted of Chuck Deery, general manager of LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway; Dixon Johnston, a former P&G brand manager and an executive at Trone and SkyBox International; and Cathy Rice, the general manager of South Boston Speedway.
Friday night’s decision leaves Larson in a virtual must-win situation entering Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400. He sits 36 points below the cut line to advance and crashed his primary car Friday in first practice.
“Obviously, a 10-point penalty doesn’t help, but I felt like with even being 26 points back, we were going to probably have to go into this week and get a win to make it to the next round,” said Larson, who qualified 27th but will drop to the rear for the start.
“It doesn’t really mean much to me, the 10 points, just because I view this weekend or viewed it before that we had to come in here and win regardless.”
