Chase Briscoe and his team celebrated a successful appeal against the heavy fine and penalties they received following the Daytona 500. In a separate incident, Austin Cindric faced a 50-point deduction and a $50,000 fine. These decisions dramatically reshaped the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Grid.
Chase Briscoe Have Daytona 500 Penalties Lifted
For Chase Brocoe and the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota team, things turned around dramatically. Following a tense wait, the National Motorsports Appeals Panel declared in their favor and reversed the penalties from the season opening.
Starting the Daytona 500 on pole position, Briscoe was hit with a hefty L2 penalty following the event. Because of large holes in the spoiler mount, NASCAR penalized both driver and team with 100-points. However, the penalties were later overturned on appeal.
You won’t find a win bigger in NASCAR this season than Chase Briscoe’s overturned penalty.
A massive penalty featuring 100 points, 10 playoff points, a four-race CC suspension, and a $100,000 fine? Gone.
Briscoe and the No. 19 team for Joe Gibbs Racing didn’t cheat after all.
— Austin Konenski (@AustinKonenski) March 5, 2025
An independent panel of three, Dixon Johnston, Hunter Nickell, and Cathy Rice, have made the decision to completely overturn the initial NASCAR ruling. Here’s their official statement:
“The panel believes that the elongation of some of the holes on the number 19 Cup car spoiler base is caused by the process of attaching that specific spoiler base to the rear deck and not modification of the single source part.”
Austin Cindric Faces NASCAR Penalty but Dodges Suspension for Intentional Crash
Austin Cindric has only earned 50+ points in a NASCAR Cup Series race once out of 118 starts.
Depending on how you view it, Cindric essentially lost over one race worth of points.
It’s worse than a suspension but his entire regular season isn’t impacted on the flip side.
— Austin Konenski (@AustinKonenski) March 5, 2025
For willfully spinning Ty Dillon at COTA, NASCAR fined Cindric $50,000 and a 50-point penalty. Ty Dillon shoved Austin Cindric wide early in the race, which set off immediate reaction from Cindric who spun Dillon by hitting his right rear.
NASCAR has been adamant in its opposition to drivers purposefully snagging rivals in the right rear given the potential results. For similar events, both Bubba Wallace and Chase Elliott were suspended in the past.
How Do These Decisions Affect the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Grid
⬆️⬇️ BRISCOE WINS APPEAL, CINDRIC PENALIZED ⬆️⬇️
After winning their appeal, Chase Briscoe and Joe Gibbs Racing have gotten their 100 points back. But, on the flip side, Austin Cindric has been penalized 50 points.
It's been a busy Wednesday for the Playoff Grid… 😅#NASCAR pic.twitter.com/03eDA4sL86
— TobyChristie.com (@TobyChristieCom) March 5, 2025
The latest changes have caused major changes in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Grid. Briscoe with +5 points has climbed to 15th position. Cindric, meanwhile, sits second from bottom with -41 points to his name.
With only three races completed out of 36, the season is still in its early stages. Nonetheless, Briscoe’s rise to 15th place strengthens his position in the standings. Cindric, meantime, is fighting an uphill battle with a lot of ground to cover. Still, the Team Penske driver has plenty of time to turn things around and might jump back into playoff contention with a few strong wins.