Daytona 500 pole-winner Chase Briscoe and Joe Gibbs Racing have been at the center of a significant penalty issued by NASCAR. The No. 19 Toyota, driven by Briscoe, was found to have a modified spoiler during time trials, leading to severe consequences for the team.
NASCAR's inspection process revealed that the spoiler base on the No. 19 Toyota had been altered, which is a violation as it is a single-source part that cannot be modified. As a result, Joe Gibbs Racing was penalized with a deduction of 100 driver/owner points and 10 playoff points. Additionally, the team was fined $100,000, and crew chief James Small received a four-race suspension.
Following the penalty, Briscoe now finds himself with negative 67 points in the standings, dropping from 10th to 39th position. Joe Gibbs Racing has stated its intention to appeal the decision, attributing the issue to an assembly error where bolts used to attach the spoiler base caused pre-drilled holes to wear due to part interferences.
This incident marks the second consecutive year that the Daytona 500 pole-winner has faced penalties, with Joey Logano being penalized in 2024 for an illegal glove during qualifying.
For Briscoe, this penalty comes as a significant setback at the start of his first season driving for Gibbs. The earliest opportunity for him to move back into positive points will be at the third race of the season, at Circuit of the Americas.
In addition to the penalty on Briscoe's team, other penalties were announced by NASCAR on Wednesday. The No. 34 Front Row Motorsports team of Todd Gilliland and the No. 51 Rick Ware Racing team of Cody Ware were penalized for a safety violation related to added ballast in their cars. Both drivers were docked 10 points, and their respective teams lost 10 owner points.
These penalties serve as a reminder of NASCAR's strict regulations and the consequences teams face for violations. The affected teams will need to regroup and strategize to overcome the setbacks as they continue their campaigns in the upcoming races.
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