2023 NASCAR Fines ahead of Toyota Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway
NASCAR is not messing around with the fines and punishments this season. There has been a lot of money paid out in 2023. On the heels of the absolutely massive Chase Briscoe penalties, it is time to update our fine totals and look ahead to the end of the season.
We have seen teams fined and punished for modifying single-source parts. These are parts that all teams have to use and they cannot modify them. Compared to how NASCAR teams used to be able to tinker with cars, you can hardly do anything.
There are different setups and details that engineers and teams come up with to gain an edge, of course. It’s just a different type of game. However, Briscoe’s team messed up big time. They didn’t modify a part, they made a counterfeit part!
Erik Jones and his team also ran into trouble. They had a modified greenhouse, similar to the Hendrick Motorsports penalties to William Byron and Alex Bowman earlier this season. That put them 60 points down and $75,000 out the door.
Right before the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway, we have more NASCAR fines to total up.
NASCAR Fines 2023
Team Fines
Hendrick Motorsports – $550,000
Stewart-Haas Racing – $250,000
Kaulig Racing – $105,000
Richard Childress Racing – $75,000
LEGACY Motor Club – $75,000
Driver Fines
Denny Hamlin – $50,000
Daniel Suárez – $50,000
For those that are quick with the long math, the total for the NASCAR Cup Series fines this year (so far) is up to $1,155,000.
The money from the NASCAR fines doesn’t just go to NASCAR. At first, it goes straight to the organization. Then the money is distributed through the NASCAR Foundation for charitable endeavors. So, really, when teams break the rules they are just giving to charity. The fines cannot be deducted from taxes, either. Sorry, Mr. Hendrick, that’s a big check you just have to eat.
Of course, teams aren’t necessarily fined. It is the crew chief that receives the fines more often than not. However, teams usually foot the bill for these punishments.
We haven’t seen a driver get fined since Daniel Suárez had his run-in with Alex Bowman and Ross Chastain after COTA. Chase Elliott did get suspended for intentionally wrecking Denny Hamlin at Charlotte, however, there was no fine associated with his punishment.
That Chase Briscoe punishment racked up $250,000 from Stewart-Haas Racing in one go. The wild thing is, they still aren’t halfway to Hendrick Motorsports’ total fines for the year. That $400,000 fine NASCAR hit Hendrick with ($100k for each car) after Phoenix this year is going to be hard to catch up with.