Texas penalty makes Gordon crew chief feel like 'second-class citizen'
Alan Gustafson, crew chief for Jeff Gordon, isn't bothered that NASCAR deemed him responsible for the role that several members of Gordon's No. 24 team played in a post-race altercation with Brad Keselowski and members of the No. 2 team last Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway.
Gustafson is less than thrilled, however, that NASCAR levied multi-race suspensions on three Gordon crew members who were involved in the tussle. The sanctioning body also suspended a crew member for teammate Kasey Kahne.
Additionally, NASCAR fined the four crew members, and issued the stiffest fines of all — $50,000 — against Gustafson and Kahne crew chief Kenny Francis because "the crew chief assumes responsibility for the actions of his team members."
Gordon and Keselowski, who both walked away from the post-race fight with cuts to their faces, were not penalized.
"I just feel like there's a definite (message) ... team members aren't as important as drivers," Gustafson told FOXSports.com at Phoenix International Raceway on Friday afternoon when asked about his reaction to the penalties. "I think they made that clear. I personally feel a little bit like a second-class citizen, and I think a lot of our team members do, too. I hate (that) those guys took the brunt of it, which I don't really feel like they were responsible for, in my opinion. I don't think they went and initiated any of this, nor had that intention."
The suspensions, which Hendrick Motorsports will not appeal, mean that three members of Gordon's team must sit out this weekend's race at Phoenix and next weekend's season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Gordon is one of eight drivers still in the hunt for the 2014 Sprint Cup Series title, and currently holds the final transfer spot to be among the four drivers who will race for the championship in a one-race, winner-take-all showdown at Homestead.
"Unfortunately, their opportunity to race for a championship and do what they love to do is going to be gone, based on the events that happened, and I don't think that's fair," Gustafson said of the suspended crew members. "I think NASCAR's making a concerted effort to illustrate they want the drivers to be able to do what they want to do on the racetrack and have no repercussion for it, and have no accountability for it. I think that generates the most drama on the track, and that's what they're looking for."
Although Hendrick Motorsports won't appeal the penalties, the organization announced on Thursday that it would foot the bill for all the fines issued against its employees.
The total amount to be paid: $185,000.
"We support our guys, and we support what they do, so that's what that's about," Gustafson said.
In addition to the fines on Gustafson and Francis, NASCAR placed both crew chiefs on probation for six races — a penalty that will carry over into the first four races of 2015.
But unlike the suspended crewmen, Gustafson and Francis will be able to continue their duties as usual, provided they are not hit with additional penalties while on probation.
"That's just a rule that's been in place for a long time that the crew chief assumes all responsibility for the parties," Gustafson said. "I don't have an issue with that. I assume responsibility for those guys' actions, and I stand behind them and I'm fine with that. They need to have some point of contact — I understand that. There has to be one person responsible for the event, and I take responsibility for that.
"I don't have an issue with that. I just have an issue with the guys taking the brunt of the penalty, and I don't feel like that's necessarily fair to them."
VIDEO: Did Jeff Gordon land a right jab on Brad Keselowski?
