Parrott is a short-timer; Lambert back on the box

When the National Stock Car Racing Appeals Panel upheld NASCAR’s six-race suspensions to Richard Childress Racing crew chief Luke Lambert, race engineer Philip Surgen and tire specialist James Bender on Thursday, those team members began serving their enforced exiles.

In the wake of the penalties imposed for altering tires in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California, and the loss of the appeal, RCR installed its XFINITY Series competition director, Todd Parrott, as interim crew chief for Ryan Newman’s No. 31 Chevrolet.

But when team owner Richard Childress opted to take his case to National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer Bryan Moss and paid the $500 fee late Friday afternoon, he also chose to let the suspended team members return to the track.

So, on Saturday, Lambert was back on the pit box and Parrott returned to his day job—after one day at the track with Newman.