A major shocker comes for the newest driver of the Joe Gibbs Racing team — Chase Briscoe, the latest member of the racing outfit, in the aftermath of the season’s first points race at Daytona. NASCAR has imposed an L2-level penalty on the #19 team, including a $100,000 fine, a deduction of 100 owner points, 10 playoff points, and a four-race suspension for their crew chief James Small due to unauthorized modifications to a Next Gen car part.
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Briscoe had won the pole position at the Daytona 500 and finished in an impressive P4-place finish. But the penalty has drastically affected his standings early in the season.
Rather than advancing to Atlanta in P10 place in the point standings, merely 18 points behind the Cup Series leader, Briscoe now finds himself in P39 place with a negative point total of -67.
Jeff Gluck reported on X (formerly Twitter), “Holy cr*p, huge penalty just announced. Chase Briscoe was found to have a modification to the spoiler. Loses 100 points, 10 playoff points, and James Small gone for four races. Team fined $100k. Wow, massive stuff to start the year.”
While it remains unclear who is to blame for the significant oversight, fans have pointed their fingers squarely at crew chief James Small for putting Chase Briscoe’s race at risk.
One fan vehemently suggested, “James small needs to be fired NOW,” while another perplexed supporter questioned, “Why does JGR keep James Small? I really don’t get it at all…”
Another enthusiast lamented the long-term impact, calculating, “By the time James comes back, they will still be negative in the points.” Echoes of frustration were further voiced by another NASCAR fan who remarked, “Classic james small move.”
If you ain’t cheatin, you ain’t tryin.
— 24/7 NASCAR (@NASCAR247) February 19, 2025
NASCAR enforces a rigorous policy against using unauthorized external parts or alterations to existing components on Next Gen cars. Although no issues were detected on the track, a deeper inspection at the NASCAR Research and Development Center in North Carolina revealed a problem with the assembly of Briscoe‘s #19 car.
It was found that the bolts used to secure the spoiler base to the deck lid had caused wear in the pre-drilled holes due to interference from supplied parts.
The last time Small faced such intense scrutiny was when he indirectly criticized Martin Truex Jr. for his infrequent visits to the shop, following the latter’s retirement.
Will JGR appeal the penalty?
Joe Gibbs Racing has announced its intention to appeal the penalty imposed by NASCAR on the #19 Cup Series team. Consequently, Small may begin his suspension either this weekend in Atlanta or the following weekend at Circuit of the Americas, unless the team requests an extension pending the outcome of the appeal process.
Among the vehicles NASCAR’s R&D department scrutinized were those of Briscoe and Austin Cindric. While Cindric’s car was absolved of any discrepancies, Briscoe’s team found themselves confronting substantial fines.
Not to mention, it marks the second big penalty for Briscoe’s team within three seasons. Back in 2023, while he was still with the now defunct Stewart-Haas Racing team, Briscoe’s #14 team faced a steep sanction that included a deduction of 120 points and 25 playoff points, a 6-week suspension for his crew chief, and a hefty $250,000 fine, following the discovery of a counterfeit engine panel duct.
NASCAR fans look forward to seeing the potential leniency NASCAR might extend to the team and the continuing strain this ordeal may impose on Briscoe during his first year with Joe Gibbs Racing.
