Speeding In The Pits: 2011 Year In Review: Brad Keselowski's Penalties

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

2011 Year In Review: Brad Keselowski's Penalties

Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

It didn't look like Brad Keselowski was going to have a good 2011 season in NASCAR's Sprint Cup season. In the first nine races on the schedule, the Miller Lite Dodge driver's best finish was a paltry 15th place effort in the second race of the year at Phoenix. When the schedule rolled around to the 13th race of the season at Kansas, there was a huge change. It was like someone flipped a switch. All of a sudden, both of Penske Racing's cars were not only fast but they were competitive. Keselowski used some savvy strategy to stretch his fuel mileage in the race to take his second career victory in the Cup series.

Keslowski seemed to really get going when the going got tough. After a testing accident where he injured his knee, Keselowski went on a tear; ninth at Indianapolis, a win at Pocono, second at Watkins Glen, third at Michigan, first again at Bristol and sixth at Atlanta. The driver and team who looked to be completely out of the running of getting into NASCAR's Chase for the Sprint Cup took advantage of NASCAR's Wild Card rule and not only locked themselves in, but now were a serious threat for the Cup. Keselowski and his team stayed in the fight until the final four events where things seemed to unravel with finishes of 17th, 24th, 18th and 20th. Still, the season had to be considered a huge success just due to the fact of the incredible run from outside the top 20 by the Miller Lite Dodge team.

Had it not been for the fourth event of the season at Bristol, Keselowski would have went through 2011 without a penalty. Unfortunately, Keselowski earned four in that race, two for speeding and two for pitting out of order. The 2 team got through the year scot-free of any penalties.

2011 Statistics For Brad Keselowski
5th in Sprint Cup standings
3 wins (STP 400, Good Sam RV Insurance 500, Irwin Tools Night Race)
10 top 5s
14 top 10s
298 laps led

2011 Penalty Report For Brad Keselowski
Race 4 - Speed-Entering pits, Tail of Field; Speed-Exiting pits, Tail of Field; Pitting out of order, Tail of Field; Pitting out of order, Tail of Field
Race 8 - Pitting before pit road is open, Garage
Race 15 - Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
Race 19 - Pitting before pit road is open, Garage

Penalty Color Key

Pink - Pre-race Penalty
Orange - Penalty For Pitting Before Pit Road Is Open/Too many crew member(s) in contact with pit service area
Red - Driver Induced Penalty
Green - Pit Crew Induced Penalty
White - Verbal Abuse Toward Official/Safety Violation

Red, green and white designated penalties are considered to be "serious" penalties as they have a more significant affect on the outcome of a driver and team's finish than pink and orange designated penalties.

Please note that NASCAR does not have different designations for penalties. The color designation is for the purpose of this website only.

NASCAR's Race Penalty Procedures

* Driver change before start of the race
PENALTY: Start at the tail of the field

* Use of a backup car after qualifications
PENALTY: Start at the tail of the field

* Engine and/or transmission change after qualifications
PENALTY: Start at the tail of the field

* Adjustments made to car after impound
PENALTY: Start at the tail of the field

* Miss driver's meeting/driver introductions

PENALTY: Start at the tail of the field

* Impeding a competitor during qualifying
PENALTY: Qualifying lap disallowed

* Pitting before Pit Road is open
PENALTY: Restart at the tail of the field

* Too many crew member(s) in contact with pit service area
PENALTY: Must pass through pits under green; Restart at the tail of the field if under yellow

* Pitting out of order
PENALTY: Restart at the tail of the field

* Car must enter pit road in single file
PENALTY: Must pass through pits under green; Restart at the tail of the field if under yellow

* Speeding - Entering/Exiting pits
PENALTY: Must pass through pits under green; Restart at the tail of the field if under yellow

* All passing on pit road must be to the outside on entry
PENALTY: Must pass through pits under green; Restart at the tail of the field if under yellow

* Driving through more than 3 pit boxes
PENALTY: Must pass through pits under green; Restart at the tail of the field if under yellow

* Car pitting out of the assigned pit box
PENALTY: 1 lap

* Crew member interfering with another team's pit stop
PENALTY: NASCAR Discresion

* Running the stop & go sign/light
PENALTY: NASCAR Discretion

* Going above the blend line exiting the pits
PENALTY: Must pass through pits under green; Restart at the tail of the field if under yellow

* Passing the caution car/truck
PENALTY: 1 lap

* Pulling up to pit (drivers must maintain position in relation to field or face penalty)
PENALTY 1 lap

* Jumping the start/restart
PENALTY: Pass through pits

* Passing after turn three (3) on "One to Go''
PENALTY: Pass through pits

* Passing on a start or restart (before start/finish line)
PENALTY: Pass through pits

* Disobeying NASCAR request
PENALTY: NASCAR Discretion

* Intentionally causing a caution
PENALTY: NASCAR Discretion

* Disobeying Black Flag
PENALTY: NASCAR Discretion

* Commitment Line Violation
PENALTY: Must pass through pits under green; Restart at the tail of the field if under yellow

* Passing under the double yellow line (at Daytona or Talladega)
PENALTY: Must pass through pits

* Blocking a driver under the yellow line (at Daytona or Talladega)
PENALTY: Must pass through pits

* Disqualification of qualifying time
PENALTY: Start at tail of the field

* Use of extension poles are limited/not self illuminated
PENALTY: Must pass through pits under green; Restart at the tail of the field if under yellow

* Crew member(s) over the wall too soon
PENALTY: Must pass through pits under green; Restart at the tail of the field if under yellow

* Crew member(s) returning from equipment side of wall
PENALTY: Must pass through pits under green; Restart at the tail of the field if under yellow

* Front air wrench must be carried back to pit wall side of car
PENALTY: Must pass through pits under green; Restart at the tail of the field if under yellow

* Using more than two (2) air wrenches during one pit stop
PENALTY: Must pass through pits under green; Restart at the tail of the field if under yellow

* Non-Compliant refueling
PENALTY: Must pass through pits under green; Restart at the tail of the field if under yellow

* Tossing or throwing the fuel filler/equipment
PENALTY: Must pass through pits under green; Restart at the tail of the field if under yellow

* Tire violation-Removing outside tire acceptable/Rolling a tire(s) beyond the center of pit road
PENALTY: Must pass through pits under green; Restart at the tail of the field if under yellow

* Unapproved adjustment to car
PENALTY: Must pass through pits under green; Restart at the tail of the field if under yellow

* Removing equipment from assigned pit area
PENALTY: Stop and Go

* Running over/under equipment
PENALTY: NASCAR Discretion

* Hand pushing car more than 3 pit boxes
PENALTY: Must pass through pits under green; Restart at the tail of the field if under yellow

* Refueling car before the affected car receives the green flag on the race track or does not complete the designated race distance (competition yellow)
PENALTY: Minimum 1 lap

* Verbal abuse to a NASCAR official
PENALTY: NASCAR Discretion

* Safety violation
PENALTY: NASCAR Discretion