The National Motorsports Appeals Panel kept nearly all of the penalties issued Kaulig Racing and Justin Haley for modifying a hood louver.
Haley and Kaulig were docked 100 points each by NASCAR for the infraction, which was discovered before qualifying at Phoenix last month. The appeals panel amended those penalties to 75 points each Wednesday.
The appeals panel kept the rest of the penalties that had been issued by NASCAR. Those were:
- Loss of 10 playoff points for Haley and the No. 31 Kaulig Racing team.
- $100,000 fine to crew chief Trent Owens
- Four-race suspension to Owens.
Kaulig Racing President Chris Rice called the decision “disheartening” on FS1’s “Race Hub” on Wednesday night.
The appeals panel did not explain its reasoning for slightly altering the penalty. The three-member panel consisted of Hunter Nickell, Shawna Robinson and Steve York.
Kaulig Racing has the option to appeal the decision to the Final Appeal Officer. Rice said Thursday morning on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s “The Morning Drive” that the team would file an appeal to the Final Appeal Officer.
Wednesday’s decision comes a week after a different three-member panel rescinded the penalties of 100 points and 10 playoff points to each of Hendrick Motorsports’ drivers and teams for modification to hood louvers that was discovered before practice at Phoenix.
That panel — which consisted of Kelly Housby, Dixon Johnston and Bill Lester — kept the $100,000 fines and four-race suspensions to each of the Hendrick crew chiefs. That panel also did not explain its reasoning for altering the penalties to the Hendrick drivers and teams.