Team issues statement one week before presenting to panel
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Two days after NASCAR announced Tuesday that the National Motorsports Appeals Panel will hear Richard Childress Racing's appeal on April 16 for infractions against No. 31 team, the organization issued a statement about next week's proceeding.
"Our appeal is scheduled for Thursday, April 16," Richard Childress, chairman and CEO of Richard Childress Racing, said in the statement. "We feel confident we have a very compelling case to present to the appeals panel. We strongly believe in the intent of the rules and the integrity of our own teams while following those same rules. Out of respect for the appeal process, we will have no further comments until after the hearing."
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Ryan Newman and his team were penalized 75 points each, crew chief Luke Lambert was fined $125,000, and Lambert and two other crew members were suspended after NASCAR determined the team illegally altered air pressures in its tires during a March 22 event at Auto Club Speedway.
The findings came after an audit of tires taken from four teams following the Auto Club 400. The tires were sent to an outside agency for evaluation.
The fine and the suspensions from the P5 penalty were deferred until the appeal so Lambert, team tire technician James Bender and team engineer Philip Surgen will be with the team at Texas Motor Speedway for Saturday's Duck Commander 500 (Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, FOX).
The team's appeal will be held at the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord, North Carolina next Thursday at 8:30 a.m. ET.
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