NASCAR has dealt a hefty penalty to Cole Custer, Stewart-Haas Racing and the No. 41 car crew chief, Michael Shiplett, after Sunday’s playoff race in Charlotte.
Custer appeared to slow down on the final lap, directly into the path of Austin Dillon and Erik Jones. The move allowed Custer’s teammate, Chase Briscoe, to slip through and eventually secure a spot in the next round of the playoffs by a two-point margin. Meantime, reigning champion Kyle Larson was eliminated.
NASCAR officials said after the race that the incident would be reviewed. Custer was handed a $100,000 fine and docked 50 driver points. Stewart-Haas Racing was docked 50 owner points, and Shiplett was fined $100,000 and suspended indefinitely.
