NASCAR hits Chase Briscoe, Stewart-Haas Racing with massive penalty for counterfeit part

NASCAR has penalized the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing team of Chase Briscoe for counterfeiting a Next Gen part during Monday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

NASCAR issued an L3-level penalty, the most severe punishment under the sanctioning body’s deterrence system, per NASCAR.com. The penalty is a loss of 120 driver and owner points and 25 NASCAR playoff points. Additionally, it’s a six-race suspension plus a $250,000 fine for crew chief Johnny Klausmeier.

Elton Sawyer, NASCAR senior vice president of competition, said the NACA duct to the engine panel was counterfeit in Briscoe’s No. 14 Ford. The NACA duct is a single-source part designed to help cool the car, per Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports.

“In the post-race inspection at the R&D Center, we found the No. 14 car had an engine panel NACA duct not in compliance with the rule book,” Sawyer told NASCAR.com. “It is a counterfeit part, and that is an L3 penalty. … We need to make sure we’re keeping the teams and the car in compliance. The deterrence model has to fit that, and that’s our responsibility as custodians of the sport and of the garage.

“Don’t mess with a single-source part. Working in areas we used to in the Gen-6 car, is just not going to be acceptable with this car as we move forward. It’s not going to be the culture we’re going to allow.”

Stewart-Haas Racing comments on penalty to No. 14 team of Chase Briscoe

With the penalty, Briscoe drops from 292 points to 172, placing him 31st in the points standings. Briscoe will almost certainly need a victory to advance to the playoffs for the second consecutive season. The 28-year-old entered the Coca-Cola 600 17th in the points standings. Briscoe has recorded four top 10s and three top 5s this season and finished 20th at Charlotte.

Stewart-Haas Racing competition director Greg Zipadelli released a statement on the penalty and fine levied against the No. 14 team.

“We had a quality control lapse and a part that never should’ve been on a car going to the racetrack ended up on the No. 14 car at Charlotte,” Zipadelli said. “We accept NASCAR’s decision and will not appeal.”