{"id":1554598,"date":"2023-03-21T12:13:24","date_gmt":"2023-03-21T16:13:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/?p=1554598"},"modified":"2023-03-22T18:45:33","modified_gmt":"2023-03-22T22:45:33","slug":"jeff-gordon-push-back-nascar-letting-kaulig-racing-go-first","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/jeff-gordon-push-back-nascar-letting-kaulig-racing-go-first\/","title":{"rendered":"Jeff Gordon Says \u2018We\u2019re Going to Push Back\u2019 on NASCAR; Letting Kaulig Racing Go First Is His Best Move"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The past week hasn\u2019t been a good one for Jeff Gordon<\/a> and Hendrick Motorsports<\/a>. Days after NASCAR<\/a> handed down severe penalties, including fines totaling $400,000, to the four HMS teams, William Byron and Kyle Larson got caught in other drivers\u2019 wrecks at Atlanta and did not finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HMS is appealing the penalties, and Gordon, the Hall of Fame driver, went on the attack on Sunday. \u201cWe feel like, if our integrity is going to be questioned, we're going to push back,\u201d he said on Fox\u2019s prerace show.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pushing back is the team\u2019s right, but Gordon should let Kaulig Racing do some of the heavy lifting first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jeff Gordon may have a case vs. NASCAR, but Kaulig Racing has a better one<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"NASCAR
NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Jeff Gordon speak to the media during a press conference prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 on Feb. 19, 2023. | Courtney Culbreath\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

NASCAR penalized<\/a> the Kyle Larson, Alex Bowman, William Byron, and Josh Berry teams over hood louvers on their cars. that were modified in violation of the policy regarding parts from the single-source supplier. However, Hendrick Motorsports wasn\u2019t alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NASCAR hit the Kaulig Racing<\/a> No. 31 Chevy of Justin Haley with the same penalty. But whereas NASCAR confiscated both louvers from each HMS car, officials only took one from Haley\u2019s car. Kaulig Racing is also appealing the penalties — $100,000 fines for the crew chiefs, 100-point driver and owner deductions, and 10-point playoff deductions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both HMS and Kaulig will argue in their appeals the manufacturer\u2019s parts did\u2019t meet specifications. Kaulig\u2019s case could be particularly persuasive: Why would the team only modify one louver if the two they received from the vendor were identical?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Kaulig succeeds in driving home the point to the three-person panel hearing the appeal, then Jeff Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports might be able to drive a fleet of Chevys through the obvious hole in NASCAR\u2019s case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It still wouldn\u2019t be a slam dunk for Hendrick Motorsports<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Peace out A-Town.<\/p>— Hendrick Motorsports (@TeamHendrick) March 20, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote>