On Tuesday afternoon NASCAR issued its weekly penalty report following this past weekend’s racing action at Darlington Raceway, and while there weren’t any infractions listed for any teams in the NASCAR Cup Series ranks, the No. 1 JR Motorsports NASCAR Xfinity Series team was issued an L1-Level Penalty.
Sam Mayer, and the No. 1 team have been docked 10 championship driver and owner points and crew chief Mardy Lindley has been fined $10,000 and suspended for the next NASCAR Xfinity Series championship event, which will be held at Charlotte Motor Speedway next weekend.
According to the penalty report, the No. 1 team was found to be in violation of sections 14.3.1.4 A of the NASCAR Xfinity Series Rule Book, which pertains to Inspection Re-Certification. The specific passage of the rule book that the No. 1 team is said to have violated reads, “Any and all chassis that have been repaired, modified, and/or changed, unless otherwise permitted in Section 14.3.1.6.2.6 Non-Major Repairs, or that have an expired inspection certification must be presented for inspection re-certification prior to being entered or used at an event.”
This 10-point penalty will drop Mayer from 11th in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Regular Season championship standings to 12th. Mayer is locked into the Playoffs by way of his victory at Texas Motor Speedway.
In addition to Mayer’s penalty, there were two suspensions handed out to crew members in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series ranks this weekend.
Jerick Newsome, who serves as a rear changer for the No. 71 Spire Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team and the No. 2 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team and Marcus Horton, who serves as a tire carrier for the No. 88 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team will not be eligible to compete this weekend at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
Both crew members were found to be in violation of sections 14.3.1.2 A & B & D of the NASCAR Rule Book, which pertains to Crew Protective Clothing / Equipment.
The pit crew members will be eligible to return next weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
One final note from NASCAR’s weekly penalty report was the reinstatement of Nick Covey, who was indefinitely suspended back on April 16 for a violation of the substance abuse policy. Covey, who had served as the jackman for Austin Dillon’s No. 3 Richard Childress Racing team prior to the suspension, is officially eligible to return to competition this weekend at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
