Looking to squash any notion that its drivers are running amok on the track, NASCAR suspended Matt Kenseth for two races Tuesday for intentionally wrecking Joey Logano in an act of retaliation that dramatically changed the lineup of drivers in the running for the championship. The penalties include suspending Kenseth for the next 2 races, and putting Kenseth on NASCAR probation for a six-month period.
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Kenseth then got his revenge on Sunday at Martinsville when he wrecked Logano while Logano was the leader.
Kenseth was eliminated from the Chase for the Championship at the Talladega Superspeedway – a race also won by Logano.
Kenseth’s battered auto was multiple laps down when Logano attempted to pass him at Martinsville.
Alongside this whopping penalty, Danica Patrick was also penalised for her attempts at a similar payback wreck on David Gilliland in the same race.
“Both the teams and NASCAR work very hard to have everything look organized as best we can and to create the highest visual standard we can for the fans”, Power said. I don’t have anything else to say.
NASCAR has informed Kenseth that if he chooses to appeal the penalty, the hearing will be expedited. If he wins the title, he’d be the youngest driver since Jeff Gordon in 1995 to win a Cup title.
At Martinsville, Kenseth was involved in a restart incident with Team Penske teammates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski. It’s a tough sport, a few days you’re the bat and a few days you’re the ball.
Kenseth, the 2003 NASCAR champion and a two-time Daytona 500 victor, has always followed a driver code and believed Logano had wronged him at Kansas. It’s understood that if Kenseth is not allowed to compete in this week’s race at Texas Motor Speedway or next week’s penultimate event at Phoenix worldwide Raceway then JGR’s development driver Eric Jones will be called up to replace Kenseth in the #20 auto.
Shortly after NASCAR’s announcement, Joe Gibbs Racing – owner of Kenseth’s No. 20 vehicle – issued a statement that Kenseth would appeal the ruling.
I have no problem if NASCAR wants to crackdown on paybacks, it’s there sport, they can do what they want.
They were still side by side coming out of Turn 2 and they raced down the back straightaway.
O’Donnell said that driver safety and the new Chase elimination format factored into the decision. Each driver was penalized for the same infraction, and the same sections of the NASCAR rulebook were cited with regard to each driver’s actions.
The question stands is NASCAR anxious about Kenseth continuing his vendetta against Logano, increasing his chances of not making the Chase finale.
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After the Edwards/Keselowski exchange NASCAR president Mike Helton said, “There is a line you can cross, and we’ll step in to maintain law and order when we think that line is crossed”.
