RCR penalties upheld after appeal

Richard Childress Racing's appeal of penalties handed down last month at Michigan were upheld on Monday after a hearing.

The penalties came from a post-race inspection at the NASCAR Research and Development Center on Aug. 21 following the Pure Michigan 400 NASCAR at Michigan International Speedway on Aug. 19.

The original penalties assessed were:

• Car owner (Richard Childress): Loss of 25 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship car owner points;
• Car driver (Paul Menard): Loss of 25 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship driver points;
• Crew chief (Richard Labbe): $100,000 fine; suspended from NASCAR for six weeks; placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31;
• Car chief (Craig Smokstad): Suspended from NASCAR for six weeks; placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31;
• Crew member (Grant Hutchens): Suspended from NASCAR for six weeks; placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31.

RCR only contested the penalties of Hutchens and Smokstad but those suspensions were upheld after Monday's hearing.

Both will begin serving their suspensions beginning with this week's race at Chicagoland Speedway.

Menard's Chevrolet was found to have modified frame rails after the Michigan race, which led to the string of NASCAR penalties and fines.