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CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- NASCAR came down hard on the Joe Gibbs Racing team of Matt Kenseth after the engine in the winning No. 20 car from Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Kansas Speedway failed inspection.
Kenseth was penalized 50 points in the standings and his crew chief was suspended for six races -- as well as the May 18 All-Star race -- and fined $200,000 after the engine from the winning No. 20 car at Kansas Speedway failed a secondary postrace inspection.
NASCAR made the announcement Wednesday.
Kenseth was essentially stripped of his win at Kansas -- he lost the three bonus points he earned for the win that would have been applied in seeding for the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. His pole, which would have made him eligible for the 2014 Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway, was also was stripped.
Kenseth dropped from eighth in the standings to tied with Jeff Gordon in 14th place. Ratcliff's suspension will be put on hold pending an appeal the Toyota team plans to file.
"It is our understanding that one of the eight connecting rods on the engine was ruled too light," JGR said in a statement. "We are working with our partners at TRD on this issue."
Kenseth's car passed an initial postrace inspection, but the engine was brought back to NASCAR's Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C., for further evaluation -- as it always is with the winning car -- where it failed.
The source told ESPN's Marty Smith that the connecting rod in question was less than 3 grams lighter than required.
The Associated Press earlier reported the connecting rod news.
The engines for Joe Gibbs Racing are designed by Toyota Racing Development.
The win was the second this season for Kenseth, who moved to Joe Gibbs Racing from Roush Fenway Racing after the 2012 season, and the fourth for JGR in the last six races.
Two weeks ago, NASCAR confiscated parts in the rear housing of the Penske Racing cars of Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano prior to the Texas race.
Keselowski and Logano were docked 25 points each. Their crew chief, car chief and lead engineer were suspended for six point races and the May 18 All-Star race pending an appeal that will be heard on May 1.
Kenseth was penalized 50 points in the standings and his crew chief was suspended for six races -- as well as the May 18 All-Star race -- and fined $200,000 after the engine from the winning No. 20 car at Kansas Speedway failed a secondary postrace inspection.
NASCAR made the announcement Wednesday.
Kenseth was essentially stripped of his win at Kansas -- he lost the three bonus points he earned for the win that would have been applied in seeding for the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. His pole, which would have made him eligible for the 2014 Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway, was also was stripped.
Kenseth dropped from eighth in the standings to tied with Jeff Gordon in 14th place. Ratcliff's suspension will be put on hold pending an appeal the Toyota team plans to file.
"It is our understanding that one of the eight connecting rods on the engine was ruled too light," JGR said in a statement. "We are working with our partners at TRD on this issue."
Kenseth's car passed an initial postrace inspection, but the engine was brought back to NASCAR's Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C., for further evaluation -- as it always is with the winning car -- where it failed.
The source told ESPN's Marty Smith that the connecting rod in question was less than 3 grams lighter than required.
The Associated Press earlier reported the connecting rod news.
The engines for Joe Gibbs Racing are designed by Toyota Racing Development.
The win was the second this season for Kenseth, who moved to Joe Gibbs Racing from Roush Fenway Racing after the 2012 season, and the fourth for JGR in the last six races.
Two weeks ago, NASCAR confiscated parts in the rear housing of the Penske Racing cars of Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano prior to the Texas race.
Keselowski and Logano were docked 25 points each. Their crew chief, car chief and lead engineer were suspended for six point races and the May 18 All-Star race pending an appeal that will be heard on May 1.
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