The “crappy-ass elements” have bitten Kevin Harvick within the, properly, ass.
On Wednesday, NASCAR introduced Harvick has acquired an L2 penalty that features a 100-point discount plus a nice of $100,000 and four-race suspension for crew chief Rodney Childers. As there are 5 races remaining within the season, Childers will return for the finale at Phoenix.
Harvick is the third driver to endure the penalty after fellow Fords Brad Keselowski and Michael McDowell. The infraction focuses on the modification of a component manufactured by a central firm earlier than being supplied to groups, of which there are a lot of on the Subsequent Gen automotive. Such violations fall underneath Sections 14.1.C, D, and Q of the rulebook regarding disallowed physique adjustments. 14.1.Q significantly centres on parts that might impression the aerodynamics of a automotive.
Whereas he’s not the primary individual to obtain such self-discipline, Harvick’s punishment comes at a slightly fascinating time as he and fellow driver Denny Hamlin have been main critics of the Subsequent Gen automotive’s elements and security. At Darlington in September, Harvick’s automotive immediately caught fireplace from an exhaust drawback and eradicated him from the playoffs; whereas NASCAR subsequently allowed intumescent coatings to mitigate the issue, the driving force had already made his grievances clear with the above quote.
Shorty earlier than NASCAR introduced the penalty, Harvick tweeted, “Appears unusual…”
Childers, who has additionally voiced his frustration with the automotive, called it a “Shocker…..”
Attributable to his first-round elimination, Harvick is assured to complete sixteenth in factors. Will probably be his worst standings placement since ending nineteenth in 2009.
