Stewart-Haas Racing penalized for counterfeiting NextGen part

Stewart-Haas Racing is being given one of the heftiest penalties NASCAR has handed out so far this season for what was said to be a counterfeit part that was used in Sunday’s Coca Cola 600 by the No. 14 team.

The team is being penalized 120 regular season driver and owner points, 25 playoff points, along with a six-week suspension to crew chief John Klausmeier and a fine of $250,000.

The penalty is one of the most severe penalties seen in NASCAR of all-time, when averaged out to one team drawing the penalties.

NASCAR stated that the part replaced was found to be the NACA duct, found in the underwing of the race car.

The designation of ‘counterfeit’ in the penalty means that the team attempted to put a different part on the car, as the Athletic’s Jeff Gluck explained:

NASCAR says the engine panel duct was *counterfeit.* So not just modified. If I understand correctly, it was a part they created and passed off as real, with labeling and everything. https://t.co/2XJU4dpZLS

— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) May 31, 2023

Stewart-Haas Racing’s Greg Zipadelli stated that the issue was simply a quality control lapse and the part was never supposed to end up at the race track.

SHR’s Greg Zipadelli on penalty to Briscoe: “We had a quality control lapse and a part that never should’ve been on a car going to the racetrack ended up on the No. 14 car at Charlotte. We accept NASCAR’s decision and will not appeal.”

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) May 31, 2023

ARD will have more information on this story as it becomes available.