DAYTONA BEACH, FL – NASCAR announced several post-Texas Monster Energy Series team penalties Wednesday including a major penalty for the winning No. 4 team with driver Kevin Harvick. Harvick’s car was found in violation of a section of the NASCAR rulebook that applies to spoilers, which states they must not be altered from the manufacturer state. Harvick’s spoiler is said to have been offset, which wasn’t discovered until a postrace inspection at the NASCAR R & D Center in North Carolina this week. As a result, Harvick’s win will not count as an automatic playoff berth in the series season finale race at Homestead-Miami Speedway in two weeks – meaning Harvick must race his way into the playoffs this Sunday at Phoenix. Harvick and the team owner also each lost 40 championship points – meaning Harvick is now just three points above the cutline. Crew chief Rodney Childers has been fined $75,000 and suspended for the remaining two races of 2019 at Phoenix and Homestead. Other Monster Energy Series penalties announced Wednesday include an L1-level infraction to the No. 12 Team Penske camp. Crew chief Jeremy Bullins is fined $50,000, and car chief Kirk Almquist is suspended for the next two races. Driver Ryan Blaney loses 20 driver points, and the team loses 20 owner points and an L1-level infraction to the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing team. Crew chief Chris Gayle is fined $50,000, and car chief Jason Overstreet is suspended for the next two races. Driver Erik Jones loses 20 driver points, and the team loses 20 owner points. Post-penalty Round of Eight point standings follow: 1. Joey Logano Win, advanced 2. Kyle Busch +28 3. Martin Truex +25 4. Kevin Harvick +3 5. Kurt Busch -3 6. Chase Elliott -17 7. Aric Almirola -35 8. Clint Bowyer -51 According to NASCAR senior vice president of competition Scott Miller, NASCAR is viewing the latest round of infractions and the resulting steps which must be taken during the inspection process as “borderline ridiculous” and may consider disqualifications in 2019.
