Speeding In The Pits: 2011 Year In Review: Greg Biffle's Penalties

Thursday, December 8, 2011

2011 Year In Review: Greg Biffle's Penalties

Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR

There's no denying that 2011 was not the kind of year that Greg Biffle or his 3M Ford team expected to have in NASCAR's Sprint Cup series. While Biffle did have a career best three poles on the year, he tied his 2003 career low of only three top five finishes and a career low of 10 top 10 finishes.

By no means was Biffle not in contention for several wins in 2011, it just seemed as though mistakes in the pits ended up costing he and his team a chance at victory. Two of Biffle's best chances of getting a win were both Charlotte races. In the Coca-Cola 600, Biffle led 50 laps but was knocked out of contention when he was caught speeding in the pits and forced to serve a drive through penalty. In the second event at Charlotte Motor Speedway the Bank of America 500, Biffle almost certainly had the car to beat. The #16 Roush Racing Ford led 68 of the 334 laps in the event but a lug nut error by the pit crew during a stop cost Biffle all important track position, effectively taking him out of a chance to win. In all, Biffle was blackflagged by NASCAR four times in 2011 for speeding in the pits and once for jumping out of line prior to crossing the start/finish line on a restart. Meanwhile the 3M crew only had two penalties all year long.

2011 Statistics For Greg Biffle
16th in Sprint Cup standings
3 top 5s
10 top 10s
Best Finish: 3rd in the Sylvania 300
351 laps led

2011 Penalty Report For Greg Biffle
Race 1 - Pitting before pit road is open, tail end; Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
Race 8 - Pre-Race to the rear, Adjustments after Impound
Race 12 - Speed-Entering pits, Pass Thru; Pitting before pit road is open, Tail of Field
Race 20 - Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
Race 21 - Jumping the restart, pass thru
Race 22 - Pitting before pit road is open, tail end; Speed-Entering pits, tail end
Race 24 - Speed-Exiting pits, tail end
Race 29 - Pitting before pit road is open, Tail of Field
Race 30 - Speed-Entering pits, Tail of Field
Race 31 - Lug nut(s) not installed, Must Come In; Pitting before pit road is open, Tail of Field
Race 36 - Too many crewmember(s) in contact with pit service area, tail end

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