Written by Adrian Beecher
NASCAR XFINITY Series Managing Director Wayne Auton took to the podium in the media center at Bristol Motor Speedway Sunday morning to announce that a mistake was made in the post-race inspection after the Fitzgerald Glider Kits 300 on Saturday. After Saturday’s race, it was announced that Daniel Hemric’s No 21 team failed post-race inspection and would not be eligible for the Dash 4 Cash in Richmond.
Sunday, Auton reversed that ruling stating, “We are man enough to sit here today and tell you all we looked at it wrong.”
The mistake was that there was only an issue with one side of the No. 21’s rear toe alignment. How the rule is set up for the Xfinity Series, is that it can be off on one side and you can still pass inspection. However, in the cup series, any measurement on one side will result in a failure of post-race inspection.
This means bad news for Brandon Jones and the No. 19 crew, who were announced on Saturday as Hemric’s replacement in the Dash 4 Cash at Richmond Raceway. Jones is no longer eligible after the penalty reversal. Hemric will now rejoin Justin Allgaier in the No. 7, Elliott Sadler in the No. 1, and Spencer Gallagher in the No. 23, in the Dash 4 Cash next weekend at Richmond.
Here is a further explanation from ESPN’s Bob Pockrass from Twitter on the penalty mistake.
Here is where confusion happened as far as Nascar saying Hemric would be penalized. The Xfinity rule (top) requires both sides to be off (or one if by a certain amount). In Cup, one side off in rear toe is penalty. Hemric car only off a minimal amount on one side so no penalty. pic.twitter.com/IPakxGhKEj
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) April 15, 2018