Chase Briscoe and Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) received a major victory today as NASCAR’s appeals board completely overturned the penalty assessed to the No. 14 team after the Atlanta race. The ruling clears Briscoe of any wrongdoing and reinstates the points deducted from the team.
Appeals Board Decision
The three-person panel determined that the alleged modification to the spoiler base was not intentional but rather a result of the installation process. According to the board’s official statement:
“The panel believes that the elongation of some of the holes on the number 19 Cup car spoiler base is caused by the process of attaching that specific spoiler base to the rear deck and not modification of the single source part.”
With this conclusion, the penalty—originally consisting of a 120-point deduction, a $250,000 fine, and a four-race suspension for crew chief Johnny Klausmeier—has been completely rescinded.
https://twitter.com/jeff_gluck/status/1897374558430380396?t=nllsp8FA9xyQVUfiBeD1cg&s=19
A Major Win for Briscoe and SHR
This decision comes as a massive relief for Briscoe and his team, as the penalty had significantly impacted their championship hopes. With the points restored, Briscoe is now in a much stronger position in the playoff standings.
“I’m just really thankful for the process,” Briscoe said after the ruling. “We knew we hadn’t done anything outside the rules, and I appreciate the appeals board for taking the time to review everything. Now we can move forward and focus on the rest of the season.”
For Stewart-Haas Racing, this ruling is a rare triumph in a year that has been filled with struggles. The team has been working to improve its performance, and getting these points back is a crucial step in their fight for playoff contention.
What’s Next?
With the appeal victory, Briscoe and the No. 14 team can fully shift their focus back to on-track performance. The overturned penalty puts them back into a competitive points position as the regular season continues.
This case also highlights the importance of the appeals process in NASCAR. While penalties are issued with the intent of maintaining fair competition, teams have the right to challenge rulings when they believe they are unjust. In this case, Briscoe and SHR made a compelling argument that led to a complete reversal.
As the Cup Series heads into its next stretch of races, all eyes will be on Briscoe to see if he can capitalize on this second chance and push toward a playoff berth.
