Stewart Haas’s No.00 entry received a Level 1 penalty from NASCAR for a technical infringement that occurred during the Xfinity Series race at Michigan last weekend.
Cole Custer has received severe penalties from NASCAR for breaking the regulations, with the No. 00 squad at Stewart-Haas Racing receiving an L1 level penalty for an infringement at the Michigan International Speedway.
The infraction relates to Sections 14.3.3 C and H of the rules, which specify that splitters must be used precisely as the manufacturer intended. The splitter on the Stewart Haas Racing car was taken away by the series during the opening-day inspection and examined further at NASCAR’s R&D facility.
The team and driver Cole Custer both lost 20 and 5 playoff points as a result as crew chief Jonathan Toney received $25,000 penalty.
The 25-year-old’s hopes for the rest of the season may change if his status in the Xfinity Series standings changes as a result. Custer nonetheless maintains his spot as the fourth-place runner in the series despite the loss.
The performance of Cole Custer at the Michigan International Speedway emphasizes the penalty’s effects even further. After earning 13 points throughout the first two stages, he came in at position 16 in the race.
His place in the playoffs was secured by his recent victories in Portland and Chicago, which preceded Michigan. In light of how the playoff setting is shaping up, the penalty might compel Custer to reevaluate his strategy.
The switch for Cole Custer from the Cup Series back to the Xfinity Series wasn’t smooth. Custer returned to the Xfinity Series after racing full-time in the Cup Series from 2020 to 2022, where he claimed a victory at Kentucky. Custer has an incredible total of 12 career victories in the series.
It’s interesting to note that Stewart-Haas Racing decided not to appeal the penalty, showing their acknowledgment of the penalty and admission of culpability for the infraction.
