NASCAR has fined Hendrick Motorsports $100,000 due to the organization spending too much time in the wind tunnel, NASCAR announced Sept. 24.
The team has also been docked 10 hours of wind tunnel time in 2021.
Next year, the team will be allowed 70 hours of wind tunnel time instead of the normal 80 hours.
The team will not appeal the penalty.
Hendrick drivers Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman are still in contention for the 2020 championship via the Round of 12. William Byron was eliminated in the Round of 16, while Jimmie Johnson did not qualify for the playoffs this year.
About the author
Mark Kristl joined Frontstretch at the beginning of the 2019 NASCAR season. He is the site's ARCA Menards Series editor. Kristl is also an Eagle Scout and a proud University of Dayton alum.
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WAIT!!!WHAT!!!!no points taken from the two remaining Hendrick playoff drivers now? How is next year’s penalties going to have any bearing on them this year when the infraction occurred? Not even 10 points?!!!!! NASCAR didn’t hesitate to throw the screws to the 12 team for a stupid mistake.
dan you know nascar is run bu GM they got to do a little for the dumb people to not be so critical of them IT’S ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY NASCAR CATERS TO GM 24/7
“Hendrick Motorsports Fined for Too Much Wind” would have been a better title.
Seriously, how do they monitor such things and how hard could it be to find a way to get extra wind tunnel time without someone finding out? I didn’t even know there was a limit.
Come on Don. Taking points for something that didn’t happen at the track? I am trying to think of when I’ve seen them take points away for something done at the shop and I can’t come up with one. It’s kind of like running over the salary cap in football. You pay for it the following year.
If the extra time helped Chase and Alex, what happened to Willie and J-Jo?
Really NASCAR?
Boy, has NASCAR’s relationship with Hendrick changed. Had there been wind tunnel restrictions ten years ago, they either wouldn’t have even been dinged for it or would’ve appealed to a panel with former GM execs on it and been cleared.
Tony you got it GM runs nascar wow what a big DEAL for nascar’s PRIDE & JOY
Another web site is reporting that the violation amounted to less than 1 hour over.
Another reason NASCAR is out of control on costs. Win a race based on wind crazy! Another reason I hope Stewarts series is a success and runs as close to grass roots as possible. No wind tunnels to determine winners.