NASCAR issued a statement on Thursday afternoon addressing the disqualifications at Greenville-Pickens Speedway and Hickory Motor Speedway over the weekend.
The statement, which was sent to Speed51.com, states that technical inspection is left up to the track and the tracks can either adopt NASCAR’s rules. It also states that tracks are encouraged to enforce the rules independently.
“NASCAR sanctions the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series (“NWAAS”) tracks that feature weekly programs. In a consultative role, NASCAR provides various competition-related resources to all NWAAS track operators, including a proposed rulebook to help maintain the orderly conduct of an event at a sanctioned facility. All tracks have the option of utilizing some or all of NASCAR’s proposed rules and/or publishing and enacting their own rules developed by their local Race and/or Competition Director. Tracks may consult with NASCAR when issuing a track penalty, but NASCAR approval of a track penalty is not required. While a track may also request that NASCAR issue a penalty, and NASCAR maintains full authority to do so against any NASCAR Member in its discretion, NASCAR encourages each NWAAS track operator to administer the enforcement of all applicable rules and related penalties independently, especially with respect to issues arising out of technical inspection or other incidents occurring at-track. Penalties handed down by a NWAAS track are not eligible for appeal with NASCAR or the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Competition Administrator. Any penalty decision by a NWAAS track operator is considered final by NASCAR.”
The disqualifications of Dalton Sargeant, Kenneth Headen and Trey Gibson at Hickory Motor Speedway and the disqualification of RD Smith at Hickory Motor Speedway were all for the same thing – shocks not rebounding within 90 seconds. However, Anthony Anders did state that the shocks on Sargeant’s car, which is run out of Lee Pulliam’s shop, may have legitimately been broken.
Pulliam appealed the suspension of Sargeant and had the shocks sent off to NASCAR. However, Pulliam told RACE22.com on Thursday that NASCAR did not accept his appeal and that he has not heard back about his shocks, which were sent to NASCAR Research and Development in Charlotte, North Carolina. Jason Christley, Sr. Manager of Communications for NASCAR Touring & Weekly Series, emphasized to RACE22.com that drivers cannot appeal a racetrack decision to NASCAR.
