16 Sprint cars were found to have modified roof flaps upon inspection Thursday at Daytona International Speedway. The teams were found to have had modified roof flap spacers making the cars lighter.
NASCAR officials confiscated the illegal parts and forced the teams to install new roof flaps before their drivers were allowed on the track for practice. NASCAR spokesperson Kerry Tharp said the spacers were “not in compliance” with the kits issued to each team.
The teams involved were:
- Rouch Fenway Racing – Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.
- Richard Petty Motorsports – Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano
- Joe Gibbs Racing – Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin
- Richard Petty Motorsports – Marcos Ambrose, Aric Almirola
- Michael Waltrip Racing – Clint Boyer, Michael Waltrip, Martin Truex, Jr.
Also involved were the cars of Jamie McMurray and Casey Mears. 15 Nationwide cars also had their roof flaps confiscated.
Nationwide Series drivers whose cars had their roof flap spacers confiscated included those of Trevo Bayne, Reed Sorenson, Brian Vickers, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Dexter Stacey, Michael Annett, Cole Whitt, Mike Bliss, Robert Richardson, Jason White, Blake Koch, Landon Cassill and Travis Pastrana. Sprint Cup drivers who will be competing in Friday’s Nationwide Series race that also had the roof flaps on their NNS cars confiscated included Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch.
“The manufacturers supply you with a kit for the spacers on the roof flaps, and these 16 cars were not in compliance,” NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said.
Penalties and fines could be forthcoming but will not be announced until Monday or Tuesday.
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