After appealing NASCAR’s penalty following a second roof flap violation in Atlanta, Furniture Row Racing announced today it has dropped the appeal. Crew chief Cole Pearn will serve his one-race suspension this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway.
Pearn was placed on probation following the initial roof flap violation during Daytona 500 qualifying, but NASCAR dropped the hammer when the action was repeated the following week. He was also fined $50,000 and the No. 78 Bass Pro Shops Toyota team has been docked 15 driver and owner points.
While Pearn sits out Phoenix, former FRR crew chief Todd Berrier will be in command. He is currently the director of fabrication at Joe Gibbs Racing, and through the Toyota alliance between the two teams, it’s an easy move for the Good Sam 500.
Martin Truex, Jr. previously worked with Berrier during his first year piloting the No. 78 car in 2014. At the time, Pearn was the lead race engineer for the team.
Through three races in 2016, Truex Jr. has two top-10 finishes at Daytona and Atlanta, and came home 11th last weekend in Las Vegas.