NASCAR Trucks: No. 51 team penalized for Iowa infraction

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Erik Jones and the No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports team were victorious last Friday night in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Iowa Speedway, but they’ve been penalized today by NASCAR after Jones’ truck was found to be too low in post-race inspection.

Jones has lost 10 driver’s points and owner Kyle Busch has lost 10 owner’s points. Additionally, Jones’ crew chief, Eric Phillips, has been fined $6,000 and placed on probation until Dec. 31.

Per NASCAR, the penalty is a P2 level infraction that violates Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 20B-12.8.1 (truck failed to meet post-race height requirements) of the 2014 rule book.

The Iowa infraction marked the second consecutive week that the No. 51 was found to be too low in the front after a win, as Kyle Busch took the No. 51 to victory at Kentucky Speedway on June 26.

A minimum ride height rule was abolished in Sprint Cup as part of its 2014 rules package, but such rules remain in both the Trucks and the Nationwide Series.

Over the weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Busch touched on why his KBM Truck team has been having issues in that regard.

“There’s a tolerance or a window of I think a quarter inch that you’re allowed in green,” Busch said according to NASCAR.com. “Well, we start at the low side of that because that’s the way our setup is. So it doesn’t really give us that much space to go through the yellow, which I think is three-eighths of an inch or so. [With] the Nationwide cars, I think that tolerance is a half-inch. They widened it and guys are not having issues now because the tolerance is bigger.

“Our Trucks still seem to be having that issue just because the tolerance window wasn’t opened up as what Nationwide is, so we’re trying to get it the best we can. It’s our front end setup stuff. People know what we’re running. They know what we’re doing. It’s just a matter of trying to get it fine-tuned a little bit more, where we can start higher and maybe maintain a little bit better height if they don’t change the rule.”

NTT re-signs as IndyCar title sponsor in multiyear deal starting with the 2024 season

James Black/Penske Entertainment
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The IndyCar Series has re-signed NTT as its title sponsor in a multiyear agreement starting in 2024.

NTT, a global information technology and communications company based in Japan, became the series’ title sponsor before the 2019 season after starting as a sponsor of the No. 10 Dallara-Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing.

NTT Data (a subsidiary of parent company Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp.) will remain the official technology partner of IndyCar, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Indy 500 and the NASCAR Brickyard weekend.

With the extension, an IndyCar spokesman said NTT would become the second-longest title sponsor in series history. The longest title sponsor was PPG from 1980-97 (under the CART sanction of the Champ Car Series).

NTT replaced Verizon, which was IndyCar’s title sponsor from 2014-18 after IZOD from 2010-13.

“NTT is an excellent partner across our enterprise with strong expertise and a deep commitment to our sport,” Penske Corp. chairman and IndyCar owner Roger Penske said in a release. “From Smart Venue technology at the Racing Capital of the World to the reimagined Series mobile application, NTT is transforming the fan experience in new and innovative ways. We look forward to a bright future together.”

NTT has used artificial intelligence-enabled optical detection technology at IMS to provide information to the track’s operations and security teams, helping improve fan traffic flow and safety, the track said.

“IndyCar is a great partner for NTT Data because of our shared commitment to driving innovation, increasing sustainability and delivering amazing experiences,” NTT Data CEO Kaz Nishihata said in a release. “We also appreciate how IndyCar is so diverse, with drivers from 15 different countries, and races that range from short ovals and superspeedways to road and street courses. It’s both an incredible sport and a wonderful example for our world.”

NTT also has been instrumental in helping redesign the IndyCar app and providing more race and driver data for use in NBC Sports’ broadcasts by utilizing 140 data points from every car in the field.

“NTT is fully invested in the development and growth of our sport and has already established a terrific track record in our industry with problem-solving capabilities and access to top talent and tools,” Penske Entertainment president and CEO Mark Miles said.

Said NTT Data Services CEO Bob Pryor: “We’re thrilled to continue our collaborations that enhance and expand the fan experience for motorsports and serve as proof points for data analytics, AI, and other innovative digital technologies. For more than a century, this racing series has pioneered innovations making driving safer for everyone, and by continuing this relationship, we will accelerate the pace of innovations and new technologies, particularly related to sustainability that ultimately can benefit organizations, communities and individuals around the world.”

Starting as a Japanese telephone company, NTT grew into a $100 billion-plus tech services giant with U.S. operations based in Plano, Texas.