NASCAR and Hendrick Motorsports (HMS) have had a bit of a tumultuous relationship as of late, and now the saga continues as the sanctioning body once again slammed two of the four HMS Chevy Camaro ZL1 teams with heavy-handed penalties for the second time in the 2023 season.
Before we get into the new penalties, let’s revisit NASCAR versus Hendrick Motorsports over the last few weeks. All four HMS entries were penalized after illegal parts were seized ahead of the March 12th race at Phoenix Raceway. After a hearing on Wednesday, March 29th, the National Motorsports Appeal Panel (NMAP) ruled that the penalties assessed to the four Hendrick teams should be amended, upholding suspensions and fines, but repealing point deductions.
NASCAR was not pleased with NMAP’s ruling, stating, “We are disappointed that the entirety of the penalty was not upheld.”
That brings us to now: the No. 24 Camaro of William Byron and the No. 48 Camaro of Alex Bowman were seized by NASCAR after the race at Richmond Raceway on April 2nd. The sport’s postrace procedures entail “randomly” selecting two race cars for closer inspection after each Cup Series event. During a teardown of the two Hendrick race cars, NASCAR found that the greenhouses of both vehicles were not to spec.
The greenhouses violated Sections 14.1.D: Overall Assembled Vehicle Rules; 14.1.2.B: Engineering Change Log; and 14.5.6.B: Greenhouse in the NASCAR Rule Book. Specifically, this section states, “The greenhouse may be modified to accommodate a windshield wiper motor where required; these modifications will be permitted for all race tracks. The greenhouse modification must conform to the following drawing,” indicating a diagram.
As a result, as of April 6th, Bowman’s No. 48 Chevy team and Byron’s No. 24 Chevy team have each been docked 60 driver points and five Playoff points. Their respective crew chiefs were suspended for two additional point-paying events and fined $75,000 each. HMS indicated that it will make a decision on whether or not to appeal this latest penalty after this weekend’s races at the Bristol dirt track.
It certainly seems that NASCAR is sending a message to Hendrick Motorsports, reminding the Chevy team that the sanctioning body has a close eye on it.
Subscribe to GM Authority for more Chevy news, NASCAR news, GM motorsports news and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Ask him if you're on the nice list.
Horsepower and grip take the win.
Amid a legal battle with a GM supplier.
Generally following the market trend.
Plus, special leases on all-new premium three-row crossover.
View Comments
How, exactly, does that make an advantage to the car?
@Sherlock You are absolutely correct! Ludicrous! Nascar again singling out HMS for a ridiculous, per the 'Nascar Talking Heads' referring to a Stupid Azz Rule in the 'Liberal Nascar Bible! Get real Nascar... Stop the Madness!
Randomly selected my butt. Chosen with malice.
I've been a NASCAR fan for over 60 years. I've never seen NASCAR pull so much krap. The crowds are getting smaller, the product is getting lousy, and the costs to teams is sky high. On top of all this, it's getting harder and harder for teams to obtain sponsors....the life blood of the sport! NASCAR has gotten way to big for it's own good. They throw around suspensions and fines, like there is a never ending stash of cash from the teams. They need to stop all this krap, and soon. The team owners with the deepest pockets will soon start to walk away. Look at Tony Stewart, he's moving on to the NHRA drag racing. Yes there are rules, but one never hears of the BS in NHRA that is happening in NASCAR. Wake up NASCAR. The owners are already bitching about what is happening with revenue sharing. And now, they hand out fines etc, like the barrel of money will never empty. Just watch. Fans are leaving more now than ever. If this krap keeps up, even more will book. Time to reevaluate the entire sport. Yes it's business, but without the teams, there is NO NASCAR!
The entire sport is a joke!
The almighty NASCAR got poked in the eye on that favorable ruling to HMS by the NMAP .....
Now they're PISSED......they will be on their azz from here on out.....prime time for others to slip some tricks
through the cracks now.......
Why have the appeal process if nascar don't like the results .that's part of why you appeal something as far as randomly selecting cars that is B.S. there singling them out.
If Nascar looked long enough and hard enough at any car from any team, they could find some minor infraction to the body or engine. They do not build these cars on an assembly line in a factory; they are hand built cars. All these stupid meaningless rules are taking the racing out of racing. I think Nascar is just trying to show Hendrick, who's the boss. If Nascar keeps this up, some teams might decide to form a new governing body, and stock car racing ends up being split like Indy racing was for 20-plus years.
When they said greenhouses were violated, I thought they were modified for better aerodynamics, like laying the a-pillars back like they used to do years ago when they used a template to check for roof modifications. But it is a windshield wiper location that was not used in the race. It sounds like a little sissy NASCAR judge is trying to show his strength so he can tell his Mom what a smart boy he is.
@C1TOC8 Agree 100%. No doubt Nascar is pissed off because it didn't go their way trying to give HMS another black eye! Kinda' similar to a DOT Officer doing a Level 3 Inspection on a Truck Driver and his/her equipment and their intent is to assess anything and everything to put that Driver 'Out of Service' and writing Ticket(s) to him/her and the company for which they are driving for just to make a point... Because they can and will hurt you and put you out of business or at the very least out of a job! All Candyazz B.S. to show who is in charge. Believe me... Been there done that! Nascar is on the track to turn Sponsors and Teams to take their Ball elsewhere!
I agree, %100. NASCAR is out of control. Just cause it's their ball, their ballfields and rules. They think the teams and owners will put up with it. I think those days are coming to fast ending soon.
They did say RANDOM selecting 2 HMS cars, right? Nothing to do with the appeal ruling handed down by NMAP, if they don’t stop trying to be the GESTAPO they are going to be out of a job, wake up NASCAR!
Snoopy
NASCAR = Drunk with Power. Go Woke, Go Broke...... IMO