Chief appeals officer upholds penalties for No. 31 Richard Childress Racing team
After a lengthy day of hearings, Chief Appeals Officer Brian Moss upheld the revised penalties issued to the No. 31 Richard Childress Racing team with driver Ryan Newman and crew chief Luke Lambert.
With this being the final step in the appeals process, Moss' ruling is final.
According to a statement released by NASCAR, Moss made his decision on the basis of a "preponderance of evidence" the No. 31 team "violated the rules."
As a result, Lambert, tire technician James Bender and race engineeer Philip Surgen have been suspended for six Sprint Cup Series races, plus the Sprint All-Star Race. All three are on probation through Dec. 31, 2015. Lambert has also been fined $75,000.
In addition, team owner Richard Childress has been docked 50 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Car Owner points, and Newman has lost 50 Sprint Cup Driver points.
Todd Parrott will serve as substitute crew chief on the No. 31 team starting with this weekend's race at Kansas Speedway.
"We do not agree with the final appeal ruling," Childress said in a statement late Wednesday evening. "We feel we had a compelling case and still fell we were in the right and the facts presented today would have proved that. We do appreciate the opportunity to be heard.
"We stand behind our suspended team members and look forward to their return," he said. "We will now move on and continue or goals of winning races and making the Chase for the Champion."
The suspended crew members are able to return to the track in time for the July race at Daytona International Speedway.
This process began when NASCAR determined Newman and the No. 31 team altered tires during the March 22 Auto Club Speedway event. On March 31, NASCAR issued a P5 level penalty for the infraction, with RCR appealing on April 2.
On April 16, the National Motorsports Appeals Panel reduced the fine and points deductions, but the penalties were upheld.
With Wednesday's ruling, Newman drops from 14th in the driver standings to 21st.
