Speeding In The Pits: 11/1/12

Friday, November 30, 2012

Drivers With The Most Penalties For Pitting Too Early In 2012

Photo By Todd Warshaw/Getty Images North America

More often than not, the penalty for entering pit road too early is the result of a driver having to pit in order to fix damage on their race car from an accident on the track. Kurt Busch found himself in this position 16 times in 2012, more than any other driver. The majority of these instances came while Busch drove for Phoenix Racing. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was the only driver who made the Chase who didn't get the orange designated penalty however he did miss two events during the season. Greg Biffle had the least amount of penalties of all drivers who started or attempted to start and race the full distance all 36 points events with two.

Driver, Total Times Pitting Before Pit Road Was Open In 2012
Kurt Busch - 16
Casey Mears - 11
David Ragan - 10
Marcos Ambrose - 9
Jeff Burton - 9
David Gilliland - 9
Travis Kvapil - 9
Landon Cassill - 8
Bobby Labonte - 8
Trevor Bayne - 7
Kyle Busch - 7
Carl Edwards - 7
Jeff Gordon - 7
Sam Hornish, Jr. - 7
Joey Logano - 7
Juan Pablo Montoya - 7
Regan Smith - 7
Tony Stewart - 7
A.J. Allmendinger - 6
Clint Bowyer - 6
Jamie McMurray - 6
Kasey Kahne - 5
Matt Kenseth - 5
David Reutimann - 5
Aric Almirola - 4
Jimmie Johnson - 4
Brad Keselowski - 4
Ken Schrader - 4
Martin Truex, Jr. - 4
Denny Hamlin - 3
Kevin Harvick - 3
Terry Labonte - 3
Paul Menard - 3
Joe Nemechek - 3
David Stremme - 3
Greg Biffle - 2
Scott Speed - 2
J.J. Yeley - 2
Kelly Bires - 1
Mike Bliss - 1
Bill Elliott - 1
Timmy Hill - 1
Stephen Leicht - 1
Mark Martin - 1
Michael McDowell - 1
Danica Patrick - 1
Tony Raines - 1
Robert Richardson - 1
Scott Riggs - 1
Elliott Sadler - 1
Boris Said - 1
Reed Sorenson - 1
Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. - 1
Michael Waltrip - 1
Josh Wise - 1

Monday, November 26, 2012

Drivers With The Most Pre-Race Penalties In 2012

Photo By Patrick McDermott/Getty Images North America

David Gilliland led all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers with five pre-race penalties in the 2012 season. Next closest to Gilliland were Jeff Burton, Sam Hornish, Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Travis Kvapil who tied with three pre-race penalties. Gilliland's penalties came in the season opening race, the Daytona 500, the first race of the year at Talladega, the Sonoma event and the second races at Dover and Charlotte.

Driver, Penalties, Races Penalized In Parenthesis
David Gilliland - 5 (Daytona 1, Talladega 1, Sonoma, Dover 2, Charlotte 2)
Jeff Burton - 3 ( Charlotte 2, Kansas 2, Phoenix 2)
Sam Hornish, Jr. - 3 (Daytona 2, Michigan 2, Loudon 2)
Jimmie Johnson - 3 (Las Vegas, Michigan 1, Michigan 2)
Travis Kvapil - 3 (Talladega 1, Watkens Glen, Charlotte 2)
Dave Blaney - 2 (Bristol 1, Talladega 2)
Kurt Busch - 2 (Daytona 1, Charlotte 1)
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. - 2 (Michigan 2, Chicago)
Joey Logano - 2 (Texas 1, Homestead)
Juan Pablo Montoya - 2 (Las Vegas, Charlotte 2)
Ryan Newman - 2 (Michigan 1, Charlotte 2)
Regan Smith - 2 (Las Vegas, Homestead)
Aric Almirola - 1 (Michigan 2)
Marcos Ambrose - 1 (Daytona 2)
Greg Biffle - 1 (Homestead)
Clint Bowyer - 1 (Atlanta)
Kyle Busch - 1 (Las Vegas)
Denny Hamlin -1 (Homestead)
Kasey Kahne - 1 (Daytona 1)
Stephen Leicht - 1 (Sonoma)
Michael McDowell - 1 (Daytona 2)
Paul Menard - 1 (Daytona 1)
Danica Patrick - 1 (Daytona 1)
David Reutimann -1 (Kansas 2)
Ken Schrader - 1 (Las Vegas)
Reed Sorenson - 1 (Charlotte 2)
David Stremme - 1 (Bristol 1)
Brian Vickers - 1 (Loudon 2)

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Race 36 - Ford Ecoboost 400 Penalties

Photo By Todd Warshaw/Getty Images North America

No one was more aware of the tough mountain that the 48 team would have to climb to claim the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup championship more than they did. Jimmie Johnson and his Lowe's Chevrolet crew gave all they could to try to make up the 20 point deficit on Brad Keselowski but a failed rear gear sealed the fate for the team and any chance they had to catch Keselowski's Miller Lite Dodge crew. Adding insult to injury was a miscue in the pits, a lug nut not being installed which forced Johnson to return to add the missing nut.

Number/Driver, Lap, Infraction, Penalty
#11 Denny Hamlin, Pre-Race to the rear, tail end, backup car
#16 Greg Biffle, Pre-Race to the rear, tail end, backup car
#20 Joey Logano, Pre-Race to the rear, tail end, backup car
#51 Regan Smith, Pre-Race to the rear, tail end, backup car
#6 Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., 154, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end, garage
#36 Dave Blaney, 156, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
#5 Kasey Kahne, 202, Speed-Entering pits, pass thru
#48 Jimmie Johnson, 213, Lug nut(s) not installed, pit

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Race 35 - Advocare 500 Penalties

Photo By Tom Pennington/Getty Images for NASCAR

Sunday's Advocare 500 at Phoenix International Raceway was a rather ho hum event for the first 200 laps. Things changed on lap 236 when NASCAR Sprint Cup championship leader, Jimmie Johnson found misfortune in a flat tire and a visit to the turn four wall. The latter stages of the 500-kilometer race proved to be even more shocking. Jeff Gordon gained retaliation on Clint Bowyer after contact that resulted in Gordon meeting the wall. Unfortunately, Joey Logano and Aric Almirola were also involved in the incident.

Number/Driver, Lap, Infraction, Penalty
#31 Jeff Burton, Pre-Race to the rear, tail end, backup car
#19 Mike Bliss, 17, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end, garage
#38 David Gilliland, 52, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end, garage
#48 Jimmie Johnson, 235, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end, garage
#34 David Ragan, 274, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
#14 Tony Stewart, 281, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
#22 Sam Hornish, Jr., 300, Pitting before pit road is open, tail end
#24 Jeff Gordon, 310, Safety violation, pit, below minimum speed
#20 Joey Logano, 314, Safety violation, pit, sheet metal loose

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Race 34 - AAA Texas 500 Penalties

Photo By Ed Zurga/Getty Images North America

Landon Cassill's BK Racing crew did something that no other team had done previously during the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. Cassill's Burger King Toyota was forced to start at the tail of the field three times in Sunday's AAA Texas 500 at the Texas Motor Speedway. Cassill finished the race 26th, two laps off the lead lap after starting the race in 41st position.

Number/Driver, Lap, Infraction, Penalty
#83 Landon Cassill, 110, Too many crew member(s) in contact with pit service area, Tail of Field
#83 Landon Cassill, 113, Too many crew member(s) in contact with pit service area, Tail of Field
#38 David Gilliland, 119, Pitting before pit road is open, Tail of Field
#47 Bobby Labonte, 119, Pitting before pit road is open, Garage
#93 Travis Kvapil, 119, Pitting before pit road is open, Tail of Field
#13 Casey Mears, 119, Pitting before pit road is open, Tail of Field
#42 Juan Pablo Montoya, 119, Pitting before pit road is open, Garage
#34 David Ragan, 120, Pitting before pit road is open, Tail of Field
#83 Landon Cassill, 277, Too many crew member(s) in contact with pit service area, Tail of Field
#9 Marcos Ambrose, 310, Pitting before pit road is open, Garage
#5 Kasey Mears, 321, Pitting before pit road is open, Tail of Field

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