New NASCAR Penalties……

[Annalee]

NASCAR officials released a more stringent penalty structure for the 2022 Cup Series season on Monday, introducing a list of deterrence options that includes revoking playoff eligibility for the most severe violations.

The three-tiered system – from L1 to L3 – was added to the Cup Series Rule Book on Monday. The format was put in place before the debut of the Next Gen car model, which hits the track in season-opening events next month.

The structure reserves its harshest L3 penalty options for the tampering and counterfeiting of Next Gen single-source vendor parts. Those infractions join testing policy violations with infractions in three significant off-limits areas – engine, tires, fuel – under the L3 umbrella. That heading includes the deduction of Cup Series points, playoff points, crewmember suspensions and postseason bans among the penalty options.

— NASCAR.com —

Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer:

“As we discussed during the test at Charlotte, and at length with teams over the offseason, the new deterrence model will be a culture shift for our industry. The car was a collaborative project, designed to emphasize performance at the track and the unrivaled abilities of our teams, drivers and pit crews. There will be strong penalties for any teams who run contrary to that design so the fans can focus on our drivers and the great racing expected from NASCAR.” – Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer


L1 Penalty

Level 1 penalties may include but are not limited to:

Team sourced parts not meeting the NASCAR Rule Book not rising to a higher penalty level.
Failure to meet minimum weight after the race.
Failure to submit and receive approval of parts in accordance with the NASCAR Rule Book.
All L1 penalties found during the race or after the race shall result in disqualification.

L1 penalty options:

20-75 point deduction
1-10 playoff point deduction
1-3 race suspension for team member(s) on team roster
1 team event roster position subject to suspension
$25,000 – $100,000 fine
L2 Penalty

Level 2 penalties may include but are not limited to:

Modifications to Next Gen single source vendor supplied parts and/or assemblies not rising to an L3 penalty.
Failure to meet the engine seal requirements.
Major external engine parts, not part of the long block, that differ from what is required by the rules.
Anything that alters or affects the engine control system wiring harness and/or the certified engine control system wiring sub-harnesses.
Onboard electronics not approved in advance by NASCAR.
Violation of the Vehicle Testing Policy not rising to a higher Level.
All L2 penalties found during the race or after the race shall result in disqualification.

L2 penalty options:

75-120 point deduction
10-25 playoff point deduction
4-6 race suspension for team member(s) on team roster
1-2 team event roster positions subject to suspension
$100,000 – $250,000 fine

L3 Penalty

Level 3 penalties may include but are not limited to:

Counterfeiting or modifying Next Gen single source vendor supplied parts and/or assemblies.
Engine infractions (e.g. cubic inch displacement, compression ratio, long block assembly, and/or internal parts) not meeting the rules.
Engine performance enhancements (e.g. nitrous oxide, vacuum leaks, etc.).
ECU/EFI parts not being used as the rules permit.
Altering/modifying tires and/or fuel.
Violating the Vehicle Testing Policy.
All L3 penalties found during the race or after the race shall result in disqualification.

L3 penalty options:

120-180 point deduction
25-50 playoff point deduction
No playoff eligibility for driver and/or team owner
6-race suspension for team member(s) on team roster
1-2 team event roster positions subject to suspension
NASCAR could suspend the car number for one race
$250,000 – $500,000 fine

[alenigma]

Yes, but you know those crew chiefs and constructors will burn the midnight oil trying to have an edge.
In my opinion, these penalties are steep as Mt. Everest.