Nascar – Gordon, 13th driver qualified for the Chase

The commissioners of the Nascar Sprint Cup Series ultimately opted for the least penalizing solution. After realizing that Penske Racing had asked Front Row Motorsports that David Gilliland step down at Richmond to allow Joey Logano to regain a spot, officials decided to place both teams on probation for influencing the result of the test. The sanction is much less harsh than for Michael Waltrip Racing, which saw Martin Truex Jr simply excluded from the Chase.

But above all, the commissioners allowed Jeff Gordon, beaten by a small point by Joey Logano, to be able to compete in the Chase by offering a 13th place to driver Hendrick who joins all his teammates in the play-offs. “It was the right thing to do, underlined Brian France, the President of Nascar. It was a combination of circumstances that influenced our decision. We couldn't compete in the race again. We try to be as fair as possible with all the teams. We think there were too many elements that altered the event and put Jeff and his team at a disadvantage. This is an unprecedented act, but we believe it is the right thing to do to preserve the integrity of Nascar. »

Seeing his fourth driver qualified for the Chase a week after the Richmond event, Rick Hendrick could only exult. “I applaud Nascar for taking the time to do a complete analysis. What happened in Richmond forced officials to make some very difficult decisions this week. I know that Nascar has done everything to be fair. We are extremely proud to have all four of our cars in the Chase for the second season in a row. The support from our fans and partners has been incredible this week. The Chase is going to be exciting. »