RCR Team Hammered For Frame Rail Alterations

Labbe and Menard have been sanctioned

NASCAR has issued penalties, suspensions and fines to the No. 27 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as a result of rules infractions discovered during post-race inspection at the NASCAR Research and Development Center following last Sunday’s race at Michigan International Speedway. 

The No. 27 team was found to have illegally altered the frame rails on Paul Menard’s Chevrolet; a violation of Section 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing and Section 12-4K (race equipment that has been previously certified or previously approved by NASCAR for use in an event, pursuant to sub-section 8-12, has been altered, modified, repaired or changed in any manner. Intentionally modifying frame rails for the purpose of deceiving NASCAR’s inspection gauges) of the 2012 NASCAR Rule Book. 

As a result, crew chief Slugger Labbe has been fined $100,000, suspended from NASCAR until Oct. 3 and placed on probation until Dec. 31. Car chief Craig Smokstad has been suspended from NASCAR until Oct. 3 and placed on probation until Dec. 31, while crew member Grant Hutchens has also been suspended from NASCAR until Oct. 3 and placed on probation until Dec. 31. Driver Paul Menard and owner Richard Childress have been penalized with the loss of 25 championship driver and owner points, respectively.

NASCAR officials say RCR intentionally modified the frame rails on Menard’s car “for the purpose of deceiving NASCAR’s inspection gauges,” raising questions of both safety and illegal competitive advantage.  

NASCAR inspects each chassis before it is approved for competition, using a series of laser-guided measuring devices to police each car to within thousandths of an inch. As part of that certification, NASCAR implants 10 RFID tags on each chassis. Those low-frequency microchips allow inspectors to ensure that each chassis is straight, legal and unaltered when presented for inspection at subsequent races.  

While NASCAR has not commented on what specifically was done to the car, it is believed that at least some of the RFID tags may have been removed and replaced following changes to the car’s chassis, in an attempt to conceal lightening or other unapproved changes to the frame rails. 

NASCAR takes a dim view altering frame rails, since those changes could compromise the safety of the driver. Frame rails are constructed of heavy, box steel and serve as the foundation to which the roll cage, suspension and running gear are all attached.

 

“We’re going to appeal it,” team owner Richard Childress told FOXSports.com “That’s all I’m going to say right now.”