In 2022, with the debut of the next-gen cars, NASCAR laid down the law: certain parts of these machines were off-limits for replacement or modification. They made it crystal clear that stepping out of line would result in hefty penalties for both teams and drivers. Yet, this warning didn’t deter teams and drivers from pushing the envelope. Consequently, the past two years have seen a flurry of penalties handed down.

Recently, in a conversation with Kenny Wallace, Jeff Gluck found himself in a bit of a pickle, torn between agreeing and disagreeing on the subject of these penalties. He acknowledged that while penalties are crucial to having a level playing field, the minor ones for trivial issues might be stifling the teams’ creative spirit. This balancing act between maintaining fairness and allowing innovation seems to be a tightrope that NASCAR continues to walk.

Jeff Gluck reflects on the impact of penalties on teams’ creative essence

NASCAR has long been a canvas for innovation and creativity, with legendary designs like Richard Petty’s Plymouth Superbird and advancements in horsepower and engine upgrades.

However, recent restrictions seem to have shifted the sport’s focus from a bastion of creativity to a ground of fairness. This shift has led to NASCAR cracking down on teams for unauthorized modifications, especially concerning the Next-Gen parts.

When probed about his views on these penalties, Jeff Gluck expressed a sense of ambivalence. “I’m torn. Yeah, I’m really torn. In some aspects I like that they’re keeping them honest because I want to believe that it’s as straight up as possible. They’re not letting people get away with stuff. They’re not letting because I want to know, like, hey, the best driver and the best team won. […]”

He further added, “I just wonder… If it does take some of the creativity and the fun out of the sport because that’s what racing was built on. So, you know, are you going to lose that too much? Are all the cars we’re in the same speed? And then it’s purely, purely about Track position pit stops, you know, clean air. I don’t want to hear too much more about that. I want to go guys to be able to race. So that one’s inconclusive for me a little bit, because I don’t know where it’s all going.”

In 2022, NASCAR imposed three major penalties on drivers and teams for car part modifications. However, this figure saw a significant uptick in 2023, with over a dozen penalties meted out by NASCAR.

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A rundown of 2023’s penalties for car part modifications in NASCAR

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1. The Hendrick Motorsports teams, with drivers like Alex Bowman, William Byron, Josh Berry, and Kyle Larson, along with the #31 Kaulig Racing team and their driver Justin Haley, found themselves in hot water for tweaking hood louvers. However, following an appeal, some penalties against Hendrick Motorsports were overturned, and Kaulig Racing had their points reinstated.
2. Bowman and Byron also faced the music by NASCAR for tampering with the greenhouse, another Next Gen part. The fallout? A loss of 60 driver and owner points, five playoff points, and a hefty $75,000 fine each for the crew chiefs, who also faced two-race suspensions.
3. Austin Dillon’s team didn’t escape scrutiny either. They were caught modifying the underwing assembly, leading to a $75,000 fine, a loss of 60 driver and owner points, and a deduction of five playoff points.
4. Chase Briscoe‘s team felt the heaviest hammer drop for fabricating NACA ducts on their car. The cost of this? A staggering $250,000 fine, a six-race suspension for crew chief Johnny Klausmeier, and the loss of 120 driver and owner points along with 25 playoff points.
5. Erik Jones‘ team mirrored the Hendrick Motorsports violation at Richmond, resulting in the same penalty: a 60-point deduction for both driver and owner, five playoff points, a $75,000 fine for crew chief Dave Elenz, and a two-race suspension for Elenz. This marked the 16th penalty for modifying next-gen parts since 2022, and the 10th in 2023.
6. A. J. Allmendinger’s team faced consequences even before the race at Michigan, failing inspection twice. The fallout included the ejection of their car chief and the loss of pit stall selection. The specifics of the failure, however, remained under wraps.
7. Kevin Harvick, nearly clinching a win in his final season at Talladega, was later disqualified due to issues with the windshield fasteners.
8. After a brief lull in penalties during the Round of 8, Ryan Blaney‘s car was found to have a non-compliant shock. This led to his disqualification, which was later rescinded after NASCAR discovered a problem with the damper template.

Safe to say, it’s been a year where the rulebook has been tested, and NASCAR has been vigilant in maintaining the integrity of the sport. But do you stand with the governing body or take the side of innovation and creativity?

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