NASCAR hits Stewart-Haas Racing with ‘severe penalty’ over counterfeit part: ‘We don’t take these lightly’

Stewart-Haas Racing was deed with NASCAR’s astir important punishment connected Wednesday aft uncovering that Chase Briscoe was driving a car with a counterfeit portion successful Monday’s Coca-Cola 600. 

The racing team volition look terrible punishment implicit the level-L3 violation, including being docked 120 points successful some proprietor and operator standings and a $250,000 fine, according to NASCAR.com.

Chase Briscoe, operator of the #14 Mahindra Tractors Ford, walks onstage during operator intros anterior to the NASCAR Cup Series Würth 400 astatine Dover International Speedway connected May 1, 2023 successful Dover, Delaware. (James Gilbert/Getty Images)

"In the post-race inspection present astatine the R&D Center we recovered the No. 14 car to person an motor sheet NACA duct not to compliance wrong the rulebook. It’s a counterfeit portion and that is an L3 punishment that was person assessed to the team," NASCAR Senior Vice President of Competition Elton Sawyer told the website. 

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"This is simply a terrible penalty. We don’t instrumentality these lightly. We did a batch of investigation, a batch of work, scanning the parts to marque definite what we thought was close and aft each that enactment that was done down the scenes, again, it roseate to a level to beryllium an L3 penalty." 

In summation to being docked regular play points and the fine, the racing squad was besides docked 25 playoff points and suspended unit main John Klausmeier for six races, FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass reported.

Chase Briscoe, operator of the #14 Mahindra Tractors Ford, pits during the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 astatine Charlotte Motor Speedway connected May 29, 2023 successful Concord, North Carolina. (David Jensen/Getty Images)

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Stewart-Haas Racing main contention serviceman Greg Zipadelli suggested successful a connection Wednesday that the portion being enactment successful Briscoe’s car was a mistake. 

"We had a prime power lapse and a portion that ne'er should’ve been connected a car going to the racetrack ended up connected the No. 14 car astatine Charlotte."

The squad does not mean to entreaty NASCAR’s decision.

Chase Briscoe, operator of the #14 Mahindra Tractors Ford, pits during the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 astatine Charlotte Motor Speedway connected May 29, 2023 successful Concord, North Carolina. (David Jensen/Getty Images)

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"Don’t messiness with a single-source part," Sawyer told NASCAR.com. "It’s conscionable not going to beryllium the civilization that we’re going to beryllium allowing." 

The punishment moves Briscoe from 4 points down the playoff cutoff to 124 points, according to FOX Sports.