Cole Custer and No. 41 team penalized for last lap happenings at Charlotte ROVAL

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    NASCAR announced Tuesday, October 11, 2022 that Cole Custer has been docked 50 driver and owner points, and has been fined $100K for manipulative actions made on the final lap of the "ROVAL" 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. 

Additionally, NASCAR has indefinitely suspended the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 41 team Crew Chief, Mike Shiplett for his involvement in the situation.

NASCAR deemed these penalties necessary after observing data from the No. 41 team, including radio communications. 

It was found that on the final lap of Sunday's race, Mike Shiplett instructed Cole Custer (over the radio) to slow down on the back-stretch of the Charlotte ROVAL, because he was experiencing a flat tire. NASCAR found this indication to be false, and that Custer's No. 41 did not have a tire 'going down'.

Rather, this incident forced the competitors behind Cole Custer to also slow drastically. When Custer followed instruction and eased into the backstretch chicane, Austin Dillon and Erik Jones were stuck behind the slowing No. 41.

In turn this benefited Stewart-Haas Racing teammate, Chase Briscoe. 

Briscoe was deep in a playoff battle with competitors, Kyle Larson and Austin Cindric, each trying desperately to advance in the Playoffs to the Round-of-Eight. 

At the moment of Custer's slow chicane entry, Briscoe had zero points to the good. Sitting on cusp of contention for the Round-of-Eight, Briscoe's No. 41 was just behind Jones, Dillon and Custer. As Custer braked hard into the chicane, Briscoe was easily able to pass all three drivers.

Chase Briscoe entering the backstetch chicane after passing Erik Jones, Austin Dillon and Cole Custer on the final lap of the "ROVAL" 400 [Image from NASCAR on NBC Broadcast]

This situation was favorable for Briscoe, as it allowed him to gain two points, due to his teammate's actions. This brought the No. 14 team a buffer, as they worked through the final turns of the race

 NASCAR's Senior Vice President of Competition Scott Miller says that Mike Shiplett (Custer's Crew Chief) could not have realistically observed a flat tire on Custer's No. 41 from the pit-box, as the race machine traveled down the back straight away. 

Many fans and experts of the sport agree that Custer's actions on the final lap were intended to assist Briscoe in his advancement to the Round-of-Eight in the NASCAR Playoffs. In contrast not everybody agrees that the intensity of the penalty is justified.

Fans argue that past similar incidents have garnered vastly different reactions from the sanctioning body. For example, at the Bristol Night Race in the fall of 2021 Chase Elliott who was feuding with Kevin Harvick, held back Harvick's No. 4 in order to help his teammate Kyle Larson catch up, and eventually win the race. 

Chase Elliott roughs up Kevin Harvick's No. 4 Mustang in retaliation at the 2021 Bristol Night Race. Future race winner and teamate, Kyle Larson closes in. [Image from NASCAR on NBC Broadcast] 

Or maybe, the incident in the fall of 2020 at Martinsville Speedway. Many teams used non-playoff eligible drivers to perform blocking for their playoff eligible teammates. Towards the end of the race, Erik Jones was ordered by his Crew Chief not to pass Denny Hamlin, as Hamlin struggled to make the next week's Championship 4.

Neither situation warranted a penalty from NASCAR, and arguably both had a much greater impact towards the Playoffs.

Scott Miller commented on Chase Elliott's Bristol Motor Speedway actions, explaining that it differed from Custer's at the Charlotte ROVAL, because Elliott made the decision on his own, where Custer was influenced by his team.

"I don’t believe anybody told Chase Elliott to block Kevin Harvick so Kyle Larson could win" Miller said. "That was a driver taking things into his own hands. Sketchy? Yes.  But premeditated to alter the race? I don't think so." Miller continued.

Stewart-Haas Racing will attempt to appeal the penalty with the National Motorsports Appeals Panel. Any potential results from the appeal are expected in the coming weeks.

 

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