NASCAR has given its official stance on Tuesday’s penalty report and explained the lack of action for the two incidents in the eero 400. NASCAR managing director of racing communication Mike Forde broke it all down on the latest episode of Hauler Talk.
The first incident discussed was between Shane van Gisbergen and Austin Hill, which occurred on Lap 47 of Sunday’s race at Chicagoland Speedway. This was the incident that looked most egregious to unbiased observers.
SVG and Austin Hill are headed to the hauler
“There will not be a penalty to the 97 [van Gisbergen] on this one,” said Forde. “But obviously, hearing the Austin Hill interview after, and Elton Sawyer did talk to Austin yesterday, Monday.
“So we will have Shane van Gisbergen and Austin Hill in the hauler this weekend to have a discussion.”
Forde did admit that when NASCAR makes these episodes, and there is no penalty but there is a trip to the hauler by the drivers, it causes questions on social media. Still, there was no finding that van Gisbergen’s intention was 100-percent intentional.
“I’ve noticed social media chatter after we have Hauler Talk episodes where we don’t penalize someone, but if you have them in the hauler as well, ‘Why don’t you penalize them, since you didn’t like it all that much.’
“I guess that’s a fair point, but there was nothing definitive that said this was 100-percent intentional, penalty-worthy, ‘You need to put a stop to this.’
“Certainly questionable, certainly there are hot heads with these two folks that we want to have a discussion about, and that it doesn’t boil over into a significant problem at Atlanta and beyond. So, we plan to have that conversation on Saturday, but that’s kind of where we are.”
Naturally, there was a follow-up question to Forde about the resulting door-slam by Hill to SVG under caution. Forde said that he discussed that with Elton Sawyer.
“There is not. We look at that as emotion. I asked Elton Sawyer, any penalty there? I imagine that’s just an emotional thing. He said, ‘No penalty there; definitely is emotion, I would’ve done the same thing 30 years ago when I was a driver.’
“We are letting that one go as well.”
Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar are too
As for Zane Smith spinning Carson Hocevar, that too not drawing a penalty, Forde said it’s a copy and paste of what he said about the SVG-Austin Hill incident. Smith and Hocevar will be called to the hauler ahead of Sunday’s race in Atlanta for a discussion.
“Copy and paste what I said with the SVG stuff. Nothing coming out of that. Same thing, same review went into it, and nothing rose to the level of a penalty or ‘no doubt about it, it was intentional.’
“So we are opting not to penalize, but Carson and Zane will be in the hauler as well.”