Joe Gibbs Racing has been hit with a significant L2-level penalty following the season-opening Daytona 500, after NASCAR determined that the No. 19 Toyota driven by Chase Briscoe had an illegally modified spoiler. The violation was discovered during a further inspection at the NASCAR Research & Development Center in Concord, North Carolina, prompting severe penalties for both the driver and the team.
According to the NASCAR Rule Book, an L2-level penalty involves modifications to Next Gen single-source vendor supply parts and assemblies, which are strictly prohibited. The No. 19 team was found in violation of Section 14.1, which governs overall assembled vehicle rules, and Section 14.5.8, which specifically pertains to the spoiler. NASCAR determined that the base of the spoiler had been altered, a clear violation given that the component is a single-source part and must remain unchanged.
As a result, Briscoe has been penalized 100 driver points and 10 playoff points, significantly impacting his championship standings early in the season. Joe Gibbs Racing has been fined $100,000 and docked 100 owner points, as well as 10 playoff points. Crew chief James Small will also serve a four-race suspension.
JGR responded to the penalty with a statement on Wednesday evening, confirming the team’s intention to appeal. The statement also provided an explanation for the infraction, attributing the issue to the assembly process. According to JGR, the bolts used to attach the spoiler base to the deck lid caused the pre-drilled holes to wear due to supplied part interferences, leading to the modifications in question.
The No. 19 team was not the only one to receive penalties after Daytona. NASCAR also penalized the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports and No. 51 Rick Ware Racing teams for a safety violation after ballast was found outside the designated ballast container. As a result, drivers Todd Gilliland and Cody Ware were each docked 10 points, and their respective teams also lost 10 owner points.
With the appeals process set to begin, JGR will look to contest the severity of the penalty as the season moves forward. In the meantime, Briscoe and his team will have to adjust to the impact of the lost points while preparing for the next race.
