“The Panel Upheld That” – NASCAR VP Elton Sawyer Stresses on the Importance of “Deterrent System” While Blaming Hendrick Motorsports

Aside from a thrilling contest, the spectators also want the races to be run ethically, without the possibility of a team having an undue advantage over others. However, if a team—without permission—upgrades a car part, the balance of the competition gets skewed. Hendrick Motorsports and Kaulig Racing did just that by modifying their hood louvers to enhance aerodynamic performance, without informing the governing body. Hence, NASCAR penalized both teams, making it the most severe combined penalty in the history of NASCAR.

However, the teams were unhappy and subsequently filed appeals to get their respective penalties reduced. While HMS was successful with the appeal, getting all the points penalties overturned, Kaulig Racing’s appeal will be heard on April 5. However, the result of HMS’s hearing has raised questions about NASCAR’s ability to implement rules. But it looks like NASCAR has nothing to do with the appeal as NASCAR’s Senior Vice President of Competition recently explained in an interview.

Elton Sawyer reveals that NASCAR is being wrongly blamed

SiriusXM NASCAR Radio shared an audio clip of Elton Sawyer’s interview on Twitter recently. Sawyer expressed his dissatisfaction that the penalties were not upheld by the National Motorsports Appeals Panel. He emphasized they don’t enjoy awarding penalties, but sometimes, the situation asks otherwise. He said, “When we write a penalty, I mean that’s not something that we want to do every week […] We do not want to be the narrative around penalties.”

“As the stewards of the sport, it’s our job, NASCAR, to uphold the rule book. The collaboration with the industry around the Next Gen car—it was very well and crystal clear on the deterrent system. And the owners agreed to that,” he added.

Sawyer told that the parts supplier are high-level vendors to which both team owners and the industry have given their nod. However, if any part turns out to be deficient in quality, it can be modified, provided the requisite process is diligently followed. But those teams didn’t bother to communicate with NASCAR and took the decision themselves.

Sawyer emphasized that NASCAR only imposes penalties after duly verifying the facts. He said, “When we write a penalty, we’re one hundred percent sure that the team has violated that … the panel upheld that.”

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Sawyer has successfully shown that NASCAR is playing by the book and did everything in its control. It was the appeal stage where the HMS team got their penalties reduced.

Does NASCAR’s penalty for Hendrick Motorsports carry any water?

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NASCAR imposed the penalty and the National Motorsports Appeals Panel upheld that. But, the panel also believed that the penalties imposed are too harsh and should be reduced. So, the fine remained, but the panel restored the points.

NMAP’s move indicates that NASCAR’s effort to provide a deterrent system is of no use. Sawyer added about the penalty and said, “The reasons why it was reduced would be a question for someone else other than myself. I don’t even have an answer for that.”

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NASCAR is doing what it can but to no avail. Will the Appeal Panel’s decision encourage other teams to use unfair means to get ahead in the races.?