NASCAR levies stiff penalties against Keselowski, Logano teams

NASCAR on Wednesday levied stiff fines against the teams of reigning Sprint Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski and teammate Joey Logano because their cars were found to have unapproved suspension systems before Saturday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway.

Keselowski’s crew chief Paul Wolfe, Logano’s crew chief Todd Gordon and some other team members of the two Penske Racing Fords were suspended for the next six points-paying races along with the non-points Sprint All-Star Race on May 18.

The crew chiefs also were fined $100,000 each.

In addition, NASCAR docked 25 points each from Keselowski and Logano in the championship standings.

Keselowski, who visited President Obama on Tuesday in celebration of Keselowski’s 2012 championship, had been second in the standings but he’ll now drop to fourth. Logano was ninth and now drops to 14th.

The outspoken Keselowski had lashed out at NASCAR after NASCAR inspectors forced the Penske teams to make late changes to the rear-end housings of Keselowski’s No. 2 Ford and Logano’s No. 22 before Saturday’s race.

“The things I’ve seen over the last seven days have me questioning everything that I believe in, and I’m not happy about it,” Keselowski said after the race.

He said NASCAR’s treatment of the team had been “absolutely shameful” and that “I feel like we’ve been targeted over the last seven days more than I’ve ever seen a team targeted.”

Even so, NASCAR Chairman Brian France later said Keselowski would not be fined for his remarks.

The next Cup race is Sunday at Kansas Speedway.

[Updated at 1:41 a.m.: Penske Racing said it would appeal the penalties but otherwise declined comment.]

NASCAR handed out two other penalties. One was against the team of Martin Truex Jr. because his No. 56 Toyota failed to meet the minimum height in post-race inspection. Truex was stripped of six championship points.

In NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series, Ron Hornaday Jr. was docked 25 championship points and fined $25,000 after he wrecked rookie Darrell Wallace Jr. during a caution period near the end of Sunday’s race in Rockingham, N.C.

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