NASCAR announced Wednesday it has suspended Kevin Harvick’s crew chief, Rodney Childers, for four races and fined him $100,000 for a rules infraction.
The L2-level violation involved the unapproved modification of a single-source part on the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford. In addition, NASCAR penalized Harvick 100 driver points and SHR 100 owner points.
Childers will be eligible to return for the season finale Nov. 6 at Phoenix Raceway.
Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass reported that the parts modification on the No. 4 Ford involved a “modification of vendor-supplied body part that affects the aerodynamic properties of the vehicle.”
Harvick tweeted “Seems strange … ” following NASCAR’s announcement, but it’s unclear whether that was in response to the penalty.
Harvick, of course, has been the most vocal critic of NASCAR’s new Next Gen car. The 46-year-old veteran recently said the car’s problems were the result of “crappy a**” parts. That comment came after his car caught on fire during the Sept. 4 Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. NASCAR senior vice president of competition Scott Miller admitted at the time, “It’s unacceptable for the cars to catch on fire.”
Late last month, Harvick began offering “Happy’s Crappy-A** Parts 4 Less” T-shirts for sale on his website. In a radio appearance, Miller deflected Harvick’s criticism, saying everyone had a stake in the new car’s performance, and “it’s not just NASCAR choosing quote-unquote, crappy parts.”
[NASCAR]
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.