Buescher’s Penalty Amended by National Motorsports Appeals Panel
In a decision announced Wednesday, the National Motorsports Appeals Panel made significant amendments to the penalties imposed on Chris Buescher and his RFK Racing team following their post-race inspection after the Kansas event on May 11. The initial penalty docked Buescher 60 points for violations related to the front bumper cover of his car, which was determined to exceed the allowable bonded area as outlined in the NASCAR rulebook.
The panel, comprised of Tom DeLoach, Cary Tharrington, and Kevin Whitaker, concluded that while NASCAR sufficiently proved the violation concerning the reinforcement of the front bumper cover, the evidence regarding the trimming of the exhaust panel was not sufficiently concrete. As a result, the panel reduced the driver and owner points penalty from 60 to 30. However, the remaining elements of the penalty—including the loss of five playoff points, a $75,000 fine, and a two-race suspension for crew chief Scott Graves—remain in effect. Graves has already served his suspension and will return for the Nashville Superspeedway race.
The revised points penalty elevates Buescher from 23rd to 16th in the championship standings, now just six points shy of the playoff cutoff. RFK Racing issued a statement expressing gratitude for the appeal opportunity and reaffirming their commitment to adhere to NASCAR regulations: “Our goal is to always comply fully with the letter of the NASCAR Rulebook, and our focus is now looking forward to competing for a win in Nashville this weekend.”
