On Wednesday, the National Motorsports Appeals Panel announced a revised ruling on the L1-level penalty originally handed down to the No. 17 RFK Racing team and driver Chris Buescher following the May 15 NASCAR Cup Series event at Kansas Speedway.
After reviewing the case, the three-member panel determined that while the team did violate at least one element of the penalty, not all infractions cited by NASCAR held up. Specifically, the panel upheld a violation of rule 14.5.4 related to the front bumper cover but found insufficient evidence for a violation of rule 14.1.2 concerning the exhaust cover panel.
As a result, the penalty was reduced. Instead of a 60-point deduction, the No. 17 team will lose 30 championship points for both driver and owner standings. The five playoff points deduction, two-race suspension for the crew chief, and $75,000 fine remain unchanged.
In explaining its decision, the panel stated: “NASCAR successfully demonstrated a rules violation regarding the reinforcement of the front bumper cover. However, the evidence did not support a clear infraction concerning the exhaust panel trimming due to vague language in the rulebook about allowable modifications. Therefore, the points penalty was reduced.”
With the adjusted ruling, Buescher now sits 16th in the Cup Series standings, just six points shy of the final playoff spot currently held by teammate Ryan Preece.