Hendrick Motorsports was given a large penalty for modifying hood louvers before the NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway; however, the Appeals Panel decided to modify the penalty and give the organization its points back.
With Hendrick Motorsports accepting its returned points for modifying the NextGen car, it is safe to assume that NASCAR teams are not happy with the decision due to previous reports.
Related: Evaluating Hendrick Motorsports’ future after re-signing Alex Bowman
NASCAR teams think Hendrick Motorsports has received favoritism in the past
The Appeals Panel ruled on Wednesday afternoon that while Hendrick Motorsports did break the rules, the organization would receive its total of 400 driver/owner points and 40 playoff points back. Understandably, this did not make NASCAR happy.
Meanwhile, the fines and suspensions would stay in place. This was a shocking development as a NASCAR organization has never gotten a penalty amended for modifying NextGen parts since the start of the 2022 season.
However, this might not be a shocker to the teams within the NASCAR garage due to the past several years. The Athletic’s Jeff Gluck said he thinks teams will be angry as they believe there is a “bias toward the New York Yankees of NASCAR.“
That is a massive statement but one that may not be too surprising if these reports are true. According to Gluck and Jordan Bianchi on The Athletic’s podcast, The Teardown, NASCAR teams have already been upset about previous situations involving Hendrick Motorsports.
“The teams in the garage are already upset, or have been at least, about (Hendrick Motorsports)’s involvement with the Garage 56 program. They’re already like, “Wait a minute. How come Hendrick’s doing this, how can you pick Hendrick to do this?’ The manufactuers told us at Daytona, ‘Look, they have been transparent about sharing information, they’ve let us come to the test.’ But, there is still a perception of like, ‘Wait a minute here. What’s Hendrick gaining from this?’
Jeff Gluck on NASCAR teams’ thougths on the Garage 56 program
This was a concern that came out of the Garage 56 program at the beginning of the process. 23XI Racing owner Denny Hamlin was not pleased that his team did not know about Hendrick Motorsports being picked to team up with NASCAR.
Hamlin stressed it was not OK to find out through a press conference and that he was concerned about the performance advantage that might come from the effort. Hendrick Motorsports’ performance advantage is something that has apparently been concerning in the past.
Bianchi continued after Gluck and talked about how crew chiefs and others within Ford and Toyota came up to him talking about Hendrick Motorsports’ success on road courses.
“If you go back to pre-NextGen car when Hendrick Motorsports was having so much success on the road courses…I’ve had so many crew chiefs from Ford, Toyota, and other people in those camps like say to me, ‘You know why they are having this success? They’re basically skirting NASCAR’s testing ban because of their (Track Attack program)…NASCAR’s letting them get away with it.'”
Jordan Bianchi on NASCAR crew chiefs’ thoughts on Hendrick Motorsports’ road course success
Hendrick Motorsports launched Track Attack to sell track-ready road course cars. They are made at Hendrick Motorsports and are “essentially NASCAR road course cars” that can be publicly bought by anyone willing to pay for it.
These are remodeled Cup Series chassis’ that have taken place in road course competitions. According to the organization’s website, “two Hendrick Motorsports Track Attack cars placed third and seventh in the Ultimate Track Car Challenge shootout” in 2020.
It appears by Bianchi’s report that those people believe Hendrick Motorsports is gaining a competitive advantage by driving those cars and using them as test sessions. That might be digging too deeply into it but it is worth noting.
Bianchi continued by saying the perception that is shared among these people within NASCAR, whether that is the right or wrong idea.
“There’s already this perception on top of the Garage 56 program that Hendrick can get away with whatever it wants. Right or wrong, that’s the perception.”
Jordan Bianchi on Hendrick Motorsports’ perception within the garage area
It is a lot to take in and consider as each Hendrick Motorsports driver, excluding Chase Elliott, has received 100 driver points and 10 playoff points from the Appeals Panel. Granted, these are reports, and nothing that is officially in stone.
If what is being reported is true, NASCAR teams are likely not happy about Hendrick Motorsports’ appeal going in their favor. With Kaulig Racing’s appeal for modifying hood louvers coming next week, all eyes in NASCAR will be on the outcome of their situation.