Speeding In The Pits: 2011 Year In Review: Martin Truex, Jr.'s Penalties

Monday, December 12, 2011

2011 Year In Review: Martin Truex, Jr.'s Penalties

Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images

Martin Truex, Jr. was looking for a bigger and better season in NASCAR's Sprint Cup series. While 2011 was better than 2010, Truex and his Napa Toyota team went through the season like a yo-yo. One week the 56 car would be a front running contender. The next race they would be out to lunch. The next race they would be fast again but have something go wrong during the event, costing them a chance at a good finish.

In his second full season driving for Michael Waltrip Racing, Truex and his team got warning of how 2011 would go for them in the first 10 races. Truex had two top 10 finishes at Phoenix and Darlington but also had finishes of 40th 35th and 27th at Martinsville, Texas and Richmond. Truex's next three top 10 finishes were all in eighth place at Dover, Sonoma and New Hampshire. Truex had a steller run at Watkins Glen. Two races later at Bristol, Truex came up just short to Brad Keselowski for the win. Truex would score three top 10s in the final four races with an eighth at Martinsville, eighth at Texas and a strong third in the season finale at Homestead.

Truex did his job when it came to working the pits as he was only penalized twice by NASCAR for speeding infractions. His Napa crew on the other hand was a bit more sloppy on the season, earning four penalties in 2011, two for loose lug nuts and two for having too many crew members over the wall.

2011 Statistics For Martin Truex, Jr.
18th in Sprint Cup standings
3 top 5s
12 top 10s
Best Finish: 2nd Irwin Tools Night Race
153 laps led

2011 Penalty Report For Martin Truex, Jr.
Race 1 - Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
Race 2 - Too many crewmember(s) in contact with pit service area, Tail of the field
Race 9 - Lug nut(s) not installed, Must Come In; Speed-Exiting pits, Pass Thru
Race 12 - Pitting before pit road is open, Tail of Field; Too many crewmember(s) in contact with pit service area, Tail of Field
Race 15 - Lug nut(s) not installed, pit
Race 20 - Pre-Race to the rear, Tail of Field, Transmission
Race 26 - Pitting before pit road is open, tail end; Pitting before pit road is open, tail end; Speed-Exiting pits, pass thru/tail end; Pitting before pit road is open, 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