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Hinchcliffe, SPM docked 25 points; team fined $20,000 for domed skid wear at Texas

Firestone 600 - Practice

FORT WORTH, TX - JUNE 10: James Hinchcliffe of Canada, driver of the #5 ARROW Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Chevrolet, practices for the Verizon IndyCar Series Firestone 600 at Texas Motor Speedway on June 10, 2016 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images for Texas Motor Speedway)

Chris Graythen

We haven’t had post-event penalties issued really, at all, this year in the Verizon IndyCar Series.

But a big one has just come to James Hinchcliffe and the No. 5 Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports Honda team from INDYCAR, with a post-event infraction found.

Per INDYCAR, the domed skid was worn too much at the end of the race.

That has triggered a 25-point penalty to Hinchcliffe and the No. 5 team in the drivers and owners championships. It takes them down from 392 points and eighth place in the championship to 367 and ninth. The team has been issued a $20,000 fine.

Ironically, Ryan Briscoe’s No. 5 SPM car got docked post-Texas last year, although with not as severe a penalty. The team was fined $5,000 for violating Rule 14.8.5 (Rear Wing Main Plane Angle).

Here’s the INDYCAR release, below:

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INDYCAR announced the following post-event infraction from the conclusion of the Firestone 600, which was completed Aug. 27 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas:

• INDYCAR fined Schmidt Peterson Motorsports $20,000 and penalized the team 25 entrant and driver points after the No. 5 entry of James Hinchcliffe was found in violation of Rule 14.6.8.2.2 of the Verizon IndyCar Series rule book (domed skid wear) in post-race inspection.

“In our post-race analysis this week it was determined the skid plate on the No. 5 entry was worn and in violation of our rules,” said Jay Frye, INDYCAR president of competition and operations. “This was both a performance advantage and a safety concern, as the domed portion of the skid had been ground down to the point it would have been ineffective.”

Members may contest the imposition of the penalties pursuant to the procedures and timelines detailed in the review and appeal procedures of the Verizon IndyCar Series rulebook.