Gordon’s appeal is successful
Robby Gordon received a season-saving reprieve from a NASCAR appeals committee Wednesday when the three-member panel restored the 100 points he had been docked for an unapproved front bumper on his No. 7 Dodge at Daytona.
The Associated Press reported that The National Stock Car Racing Commission also lifted crew chief Frank Kerr’s six-week suspension, but raised his monetary fine from $100,000 to $150,000. The fine is the largest in NASCAR history, topping the $100,000 set by Michael Waltrip last season and matched several times.
“We are grateful the commissioners rescinded the points penalty and suspension but disappointed by the fine,” Gordon said. “Still, we see this as a victory for Robby Gordon Motorsports. We feel like justice was done and appreciate NASCAR creating a system that allowed us to take our appeal to the … commission.”
The rare appeals victory drastically eases Gordon’s burden for the foreseeable future. After Sunday’s 42nd-place finish in Las Vegas, Gordon had plummeted to 37th in the standings. That put Gordon below the coveted top-35 mark, which guarantees drivers a spot in the field each week, and put NASCAR’s only independent driver-owner in jeopardy of missing races. With the points restored, Gordon is 21st in the standings.