Thought we were done with controversies regarding the 2013 NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup? We may not be.
An Associated Press report Wednesday revealed there may have been collusion between Penske Racing and Front Row Motorsports, both Ford teams, to help Joey Logano into the Chase.
The AP’s Jenna Fryer, who was also first with the penalties doled out to Michael Waltrip Racing on Monday night, reviewed radio transmissions believed to be between Front Row crew chief Frank Kerr, who works on David Gilliland’s No. 38 car, and the team spotter.
The spotter said to Kerr, “We’ve got the big dog and all his cronies,” to which Kerr responded, “Travis knows what I’ve been asking for.” Travis could be a reference to Penske Racing competition director Travis Geisler.
FOX Sports said it also learned of what it deemed “improper communication” between the two teams and said it would have more to report on the Wednesday evening edition of NASCAR RaceHub at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Prior to the Chase reset, Logano ended the race in 10th place in the standings, one point ahead of Jeff Gordon for the 10th and final locked-in position before the two Wild Card entries. He has a win this year, which Gordon does not.
UPDATE, 4:23 p.m. ET: NASCAR has just issued a statement: “NASCAR is aware of reports about the #22 and #38 radio communications at Richmond International Raceway and is looking into it, but has yet to see anything in full context that requires any action.”
UPDATE, 5:30 p.m. ET: I had a viewing of Race Hub and beyond the full radio transmission being revealed, there wasn’t much else to add at this time. There was nothing major from the transmission other than what was written above.
If NASCAR decides to take action as a result of this situation, then the story is advanced; otherwise, there’s nothing particularly new about drivers exchanging positions on the race track as the result of radio communications. It happens in plenty of races before, leading up to, and perhaps even in the Chase to help certain drivers gain positions.
If it can be proven there was collusion between the two teams, and an accompanying radio transmission emerges from Penske Racing to Front Row, then that’s when the next domino will fall.
Either way, it still sucks to be Jeff Gordon right now. He missed out initially on Saturday night, missed out again after the Waltrip penalties came down and would remain on the outside looking in of the Chase if no action is taken regarding this radio chatter.
