NASCAR Insiders React to Penalties, Chase on Twitter

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In: NASCAR Cup Series News

NASCAR is facing quite a quandary in levying penalties against Michael Waltrip Racing after the harried final laps of Saturday’s Federated Auto Parts 400. The multi-car team model was thrown into question when two drivers from MWR appeared to attempt to alter the finish of the race in order to help a teammate qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Suspicions were aroused by the actions of MWR teammates Clint Bowyer and Brian Vickers in the closing laps of the race, along with the communications of MWR spotter Ty Norris.

Bowyer appeared to intentionally spin and cause a caution that sent the entire field to the pits after Norris informed him that Ryan Newman was leading the race and suggested his arm must be tired. Newman, who was leading at the time, would have clinched the wild card slot in the Chase with a win had he not been forced to pit. 

Then, Vickers and Bowyer both ran well off the pace in the last few laps, which allowed Joey Logano to advance two positions and clinch his own spot in the Chase, freeing up the wild card slot for MWR teammate Martin Truex Jr.

Social media users took note of the apparent trickery and furiously tweeted into the night about the controversy and what they thought the fallout should be.

But on the inside, most of the involved parties were quiet until they saw how the scandal would play out. They were most likely advised by their public relations reps to keep mum until they had something concrete to react to.

On Monday night, fans, teams and sponsors got their answers: point penalties for Michael Waltrip Racing that knocked Truex Jr. out of the Chase and put Stewart-Haas Racing driver Newman back in.

Here’s how those on the inside of NASCAR and the associated teams reacted.

NASCAR:

 NASCAR tweet

Michael Waltrip:

Michael Waltrip Twitter
 

Stewart-Haas Racing:

 Stewart-Haas Racing on Twitter

Ryan Newman: None

Ty Norris:

 Ty Norris on Twitter

Brian Vickers: None

Clint Bowyer:

Clint Bowyer on Twitter

 

Dollar General (Vickers’ Sponsor): None

5 Hour Energy (Bowyer’s Sponsor): None

Quicken Loans PR account (Newman’s Sponsor):

 Quicken Loans on Twitter

Martin Truex Jr.: None

Napa Auto Parts (Truex’s Sponser): None

The future of the multi-car team model and, of course, the often-debated Chase for the Sprint Cup will remain to be seen.

Kristin Swartzlander
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