NASCAR penalty drastically changes point standings

Chase Briscoe dropped 14 positions in the NASCAR Cup Series point standings as a result of the L3-level penalty issued to the No. 14 team.

Following Monday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe found himself in 17th place in the point standings, four points below the playoff cut line.

Now Briscoe, who only finished Monday’s rain-postponed Coca-Cola 600 in 20th place, finds himself in 31st in the standings, 124 points below the cut line.

The driver of the No. 14 Ford has been docked 120 points, effectively putting him in a must-win situation throughout the regular season’s final 12 races.

NASCAR issued a L3-level penalty to Briscoe and the No. 14 team after the discovery of a counterfeit part in the No. 14 Ford at the R&D Center.

The team was found to have violated multiple sections of the NASCAR Rule Book, including Section 14.1F. This section prohibits counterfeiting a Next Gen single source vendor-supplied part. They were also found to have violated Section 14.6.A Underwing and 14.6.3B Engine Panel Assembly.

An L3-level penalty is the most severe punishment under the sanctioning body’s deterrence system, making this penalty one of the largest penalties issued by NASCAR in the history of the sport.

The penalty also included a 120-point deduction for the No. 14 team in the owner standings, dropping it from 18th to 31st place.

Additionally, Briscoe and the No. 14 team will be docked 25 playoff points if they qualify for the postseason, which became a much harder task as a result of the massive penalty.

Crew chief Johnny Klausmeier has been fined $250,000 and suspended for the next six races. He cannot return until the race at Pocono Raceway on Sunday, July 23.

Due to the points penalties, 14 drivers moved up one position in the standings, and 13 teams moved up one position in the owner standings.

With Briscoe dropping from his 17th place position in the standings, Joe Gibbs Racing rookie Ty Gibbs is now the first driver below the playoff cut line, 15 points behind Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman for the 16th and final postseason spot.