Speeding In The Pits: 2011 Year In Review: Kevin Harvick's Penalties

Friday, December 16, 2011

2011 Year In Review: Kevin Harvick's Penalties

Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images for NASCAR

Kevin Harvick's 2010 season was as good as any in the history of NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series. Harvick and his Richard Childress Racing team averaged an astonishing 8.7 average finish in 2010 and a mind blowing 5.8 average finish in the final 10 events, yet all these numbers weren't good enough to win the title. Harvick finished third in points, 41 behind champion, Jimmie Johnson and two behind Denny Hamlin.

It would be almost impossible for the greatest driver and team combination to replicate those numbers two years in a row. Such was the case for the Budweiser Chevrolet race team. Even though the numbers were down, 9 top 5s and 19 top 10s compared to 2010 when he had 16 top 5s and 29 top 10s, Harvick improved his win total from three to four. Twice in 2010, Harvick dashed the hopes of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Junior Nation. The first happened in Martinsville in the Goody's Fast Relief 500 when Harvick passed Earnhardt with three laps to go. The second happened on the final lap of the final turn of the Coca-Cola 600. Harvick's two other victories happened at Auto Club Speedway in the Auto Club 400 and at Richmond in the Wonderful Pistachios 400. In the end, Harvick finished in the same place as he had in 2010, third.

You don't finish third in points if you constantly make mistakes in pit road. Such was the case for Harvick and his pit crew. Harvick was caught speeding in the pits only once in 2011. His other black flag from NASCAR came due to having smoke coming from his car. The 29 crew was only penalized one time for loose lug nuts.

2011 Statistics For Kevin Harvick
3rd in Sprint Cup standings
4 wins (Auto Club 400, Goody's Fast Relief 500, Coca-Cola 600, Wonderful Pistachios 400)
9 top 5s
19 top 10s
403 laps led

2011 Penalty Report For Kevin Harvick
Race 3 - Speed-Entering pits, tail end
Race 10 - Pitting before pit road is open, Tail of Field
Race 23 - Lug nut(s) not installed, Must Come In
Race 32 - Pitting before pit road is open, tail end; Pitting before pit road is open, tail end; Safety violation, pit, light smoke

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