NASCAR found Front Row to have been using an unapproved valve stem on tires used on the No. 38 Sprint Cup at the Pocono race. Front Row admitted to the violations, and tried to explain why they occurred.
“The Appellants and team representative argued that, unbeknownst to the team management or the Appellants, valve stem caps designed to bleed air were developed by rogue elements of the team; that for some reason this hardware was mistakenly brought to the Pocono event on the team hauler; and that the caps were then accidently placed on the race car just prior to the start of the race,” the panel said according to Auto123.
"The Panel did not find the Appellants explanation to be plausible.The Panel found the penalties to be correct for the nature of the infraction,” came the decision.
As already announced, crew chief Steve Lane and car chief Richard Bourgeois have been fined $100,000 and suspended for the next 12 Sprint races, suspended from NASCAR until September 15 and placed on probation until December 31.
The team's driver, Travis Kvapil and the team owner, Doug Yates, have been sent back 150 driver and owner points.
This is one of the harshest penalties given to a Sprint team this season. Front Row only appealed the penalties concerning car chief Richard Bourgeois and tire specialist Michael Harrold.
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