Ranking 3 most-expensive penalties levied by NASCAR in the 2024 Cup Series season
The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season will be remembered not only for its on-track drama but also for some of the most significant penalties in the sport’s history. This season, NASCAR cracked down harder than ever to maintain fairness and integrity as it saw a mix of incidents that tested the rulebook.
Two of these penalties also made it to the list of the most hefty fines issued by NASCAR in Cup Series history, the Martinsville penalties being the biggest one. On that note, let us take a look at the three most hefty penalties levied by NASCAR during the 2024 Cup Series season.
#3. Modified equipment leads to Atlanta sanctions
In March 2024, Team Penske driver Joey Logano got a $10,000 fine for changing his racing gloves during Atlanta qualifying. He added webbing between the thumb and finger to help with airflow when his hand was outside the car window.
NASCAR said this change broke safety and racing rules. Besides the monetary fine, Logano had to start the race from the back and drive through pit road when the race began.
#2. Record-breaking fine for fight at North Wilkesboro
After the All-Star Race, NASCAR fined Ricky Stenhouse Jr. $75,000 for fighting, the largest fine ever levied for an on-track altercation. The incident began with contact between Stenhouse and Kyle Busch during the race and escalated into a post-race brawl.
Two crew members, Keith Matthews and Clint Myrick, received suspensions of four and eight races, respectively. Stenhouse's father also became involved, resulting in an indefinite ban from NASCAR events. This penalty made it clear that NASCAR was taking fighting more seriously than ever before.
#1. Six-figure Martinsville penalties shake up NASCAR playoffs
The biggest fines this past season came at Martinsville in November, totaling $600,000. NASCAR decided that three teams, Trackhouse Racing, Richard Childress Racing, and 23XI Racing, were working together to influence the playoff results.
Drivers Ross Chastain, Austin Dillon, and Bubba Wallace, each paid $100,000 and lost 50 points. Their team owners got the same penalties. NASCAR also banned crew chiefs, spotters, and team leaders from races.
The penalties had a major impact on the playoff standings. The point deductions knocked Chastain, Dillon, and Wallace out of Championship 4 contention, allowing other drivers, such as William Byron and Christopher Bell, to advance instead.
NASCAR senior vice president Elton Sawyer explained that the penalties were designed to protect the sport’s integrity.
“When you do anything that compromises the integrity of our sport, we’re going to react”
Trackhouse Racing and 23XI Racing initially planned to appeal but later dropped their cases, with 23XI Racing saying they wanted to focus on the championship. The appeals panel upheld the penalties for Trackhouse Racing, affirming NASCAR’s decision to issue severe consequences for manipulating race results.