The 2022 NASCAR Cup Series is just around the corner and preparations are underway. Officials have been working hard on the rules for the new season. Recently, they announced some new rules regarding penalties for drivers and teams. Unfortunately for the competitors, the officials will be a lot stricter this coming season and the consequences will be dire. The worst-case scenario pertains to revoking playoff eligibility for racers.

According to reports, the sport is coming out with a three tier penalty system. Respectively, they are L1, L2 and L3, going from mild punishments to the most severe. L3 represents the final tier, and it imparts the harshest penalty options. This is usually reserved for acts like tampering and copying Next Gen single-source vendor parts. These are especially strict with regards to the engine, tires, and fuel. A violation could result in deduction of Cup Series points, playoff points, crew member suspensions and/or postseason bans.

NASCAR Senior Vice President of Competition Scott Miller said, “To make sure that all of those things stay above board, there’s going to have to be a culture shift from the way that the teams and NASCAR, for that matter, have done business. So this deterrence model has more meat in it, more meaningful penalties, but I think we all thought that it was it was time for this with the introduction of the new car.”

What are the various penalties that NASCAR can impose?

Of course, minor infractions found during pre-race inspections will retain their usual penalties. However, the sport has revealed what practices constitute L1, L2 and L3 violations. For these violations, competition officials have the right to disqualify the offending teams.

L1 violations include minimum weight requirements during post-race inspection. Additionally, if the offending team’s parts do not meet the regulations, it will result in this penalty. Furthermore, it can also happen if teams fail the submission and approval process.

In terms of penalties, they could face a minimum points deduction of 20 and a maximum of 75 points. In addition to that, the sport can deduct Playoff points of maximum 10 points. Or they could suspend a crew member for a maximum of 3 races, and finally cop a fine of minimum $25,000 and maximum $100,000.

Penalties in the L2 tier include modifications to single-source Next Gen parts. Teams can also get into trouble for engine-seal infractions and illegal alterations to engine control system wiring or illegal on-board electronics. In this scenario, the lowest points deduction limit is 75 and a maximum of 120. Meanwhile, the officials can dock a maximum of 25 Playoff points, suspend a crew member for 4-6 races or fine them between $100,000 and $250,000.

What is the worst-case scenario?

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In the most serious situation, the officials will crack down on counterfeiting Next Gen parts. This also applies for engine infractions, performance enhancements, Engine Control Unit or Electronic Fuel Injection violations. Punishments can also be imposed if teams modify the tires and/or fuel or even breach private team testing policy. Over here, drivers can lose 180 points, 50 Playoff points, get a crew member suspended for six races or a maximum fine of $500,000.

To make matters worse, additional penalties include a postseason ban, irrespective of wins or points. Finally, offending teams can also face a one-race suspension if there are repeat high-level violations.

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