Team Penske penalties upheld in final appeal

CONCORD, N.C. -- L1-level penalties levied against the Team Penske No. 2 Ford team competing in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series were upheld here Tuesday following a Final Appeal hearing at the NASCAR Research & Development Center. As a result of the ruling, Paul Wolfe, crew chief of the No. 2 team, is suspended for this weekend's race, the Go Bowling 400 scheduled for Saturday, May 13 at Kansas Speedway. "We are disappointed in the outcome of today's final appeal hearing," Team Penske officials said in a statement issued following the decision. "While we appreciate the process that NASCAR and the National Motorsports Appeals Panel has put in place to resolve issues like this, we felt like the penalties received following the March event at Phoenix were unjust. "Brian Wilson will once again serve as Brad Keselowski's crew chief this weekend at Kansas Speedway. We're happy to finally have this behind us as the No. 2 team focuses its efforts on another Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship." Wolfe was fined $65,000 and suspended for three Monster Energy Cup Series races while driver Brad Keselowski and the No. 2 team were docked 35 driver and owner points, respectively, for a rules violation uncovered during post-race inspection following the Camping World 500 at Phoenix Raceway. The No. 2 entry failed the post-race rear wheel steer on the LIS (Laser Inspection Station). Wolfe has already sat out two races -- the Auto Club 400 as Penske officials filed the initial appeal and asked for his suspension to be deferred, and most recently the Geico 500 at Talladega before Tuesday's final appeal hearing. In his absence, Wilson, a team engineer, had served as interim crew chief for the No. 2 team. A three-member National Motorsports Appeals Panel had upheld the original penalties on April 12. Tuesday's meeting, which began at 7:45 a.m. ET, lasted slightly more than four hours. Among those present were team owner Roger Penske and Competition Director Travis Geisler. Keselowski is third in the championship driver points standings through the season's first 10 races and the No. 2 team is third in the championship owner standings. The points deductions were factored into the driver and team point totals upon the initial announcement of the penalties, thus Tuesday's decision did not result in any movement in the standings. The 2012 series champion, Keselowski already has two wins this season, at Atlanta and Martinsville, all but guaranteeing he and his team a spot in this season's 10-race playoff. Roger Werner, chairman of the Automobile Competition Committee for the United States (ACCUS), served as the National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer on Tuesday. Werner ruled on the appeal in place of Bryan Moss, who was unable to attend the hearing.