NASCAR Hammers Cole Custer, Crew Chief for Trying to Alter Race Results

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NASCAR says Custer guilty of slowing to block rivals to help Stewart-Haas teammate Chase Briscoe advance in Cup Playoffs.

• Cole Custer was fined $100,000 and lost 50 points for blocking rivals during the final lap of the race at Charlotte Roval to help teammate Chase Briscoe advance in the NASCAR Cup Playoffs.
  
• NASCAR considered removing Briscoe from the Playoffs, but found no evidence he played any role in Custer’s actions.
• SHR crew chief Michael Shiplett was also fined.

NASCAR didn’t use the word “collusion” or the term “finish fixing,” but that was the essence of the huge fines and points penalties issued Tuesday against Stewart-Haas Racing.

Driver Cole Custer was fined $100,000 and lost 50 points after officials determined that he helped teammate Chase Briscoe gain positions on the final lap of last weekend’s Playoff elimination race on the Roval at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Using video evidence and radio transmissions, officials ruled that Custer had intentionally impeded competitors, thus allowing Briscoe a get a better finish.

Shortly after the race NASCAR announced plans to review the final lap to determine if Custer had raced improperly. At the time, Briscoe was listed in the final Playoff transfer spot based on a tiebreaker over Kyle Larson. At the time, NASCAR said its post-race review would have no effect on which eight drivers advanced to the Playoff’s Round of 8.

On the last lap, on the backstretch, Austin Dillon, Erik Jones, and Briscoe were racing for position. (Briscoe was in Playoff contention, but Dillon and Jones were not). As they came up behind Custer’s car, Custer slowed dramatically and interfered with Dillon’s line. When Dillon was forced to slow entering the backstretch chicane, Briscoe went to the inside and passed Custer, Dillon, and Jones, gaining three positions and more points.

At the finish a few seconds later, Briscoe was scored ninth, Dillon 10th, Jones 11th, and Custer 24th. Larson, who began the race solidly in position to be among the eight drivers who advanced, was 35th, five laps behind after a right-rear suspension issue.

Briscoe finished two points ahead of defending-champion Larson for the final spot in the Round of 8.

NASCAR cited Custer and Stewart Haas Racing for violating Section 5.5 of the Cup Rule Book, which speaks to racing at less than 100 percent of their ability” with the goal of achieving the best possible finishing position in the Event.”

That section also states that, “Any Competitor(s) who takes action with the intent to Artificially Alter the finishing positions of the Event or encourages, persuades or induces others to Artificially Alter the finishing positions of the Event shall be subject to a penalty from NASCAR.

The rule explains that, “Artificially Alter” shall be defined as actions by any Competitor(s) that show or suggest that the Competitor(s) did not race at 100 percent of their ability for the purpose of changing finishing positions in the Event, in NASCAR’s sole discretion.”

NASCAR considered removing Briscoe from the Playoffs, but found no evidence he played any role in Custer’s actions. Scott Miller, NASCAR senior vice president of competition, said two factors kept Briscoe in the playoffs: 1) he was already in a position to advance to the Round of 8 before Custer interfered, and 2) no incriminating evidence was discovered on Briscoe’s team radio to suggest his team was aware of Custer’s intentions.

“Once we looked at the all the points and the final consequences and realized … that it wasn’t going to change who advanced to the Round of 8,” the decision was made to allow Briscoe to remain in the playoffs, Miller said. “We definitely spent a lot of time listening to all of (Briscoe’s team radio) audio and there was not a word during the race about teammates or anything from the No. 14 car radio throughout the race.

“They were concerned (about the points) and keeping the driver up to speed; how the points were shaking out at different times during the race. They were in (above the cutline) some of the race and they were out (below the line) some of the race.”

In addition to the driver fine, crew chief Michael Shiplett has been fined $100,000 and indefinitely suspended. Stewart-Haas Racing was penalized 50 owner points for the No. 41 car. The Ford-based organization says it will appeal the penalties.

SOURCE: Autoweek