NASCAR detailed the reason it disqualified Kevin Harvick from his second-place finish last weekend at Talladega, and it’s something they said they could see before the car even entered the inspection line.
Officially, the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 4 had unsecured windshield fasteners, thus an unsecured windshield, which resulted in Harvick losing all stage points earned throughout the race and being scored last, 38th.
Specifically, the violation falls under NASCAR Rule Book sections 14.5.6.2.F Windshield and 14.1.E&P under Overall Assembled Vehicle Rules. Those rules have been detailed below:
Section 14.5.6.2.F: “Windshield fasteners must remain secure for the entire Event.”
Section 14.1.E: “Except in cases explicitly permitted in the NASCAR Rules, parts and/or assemblies must be assembled and utilized as outlined in the NASCAR Rules.
Section 14.1.P: “All fasteners must be securely fastened at all times during an Event.”
As has become standard operating procedure once again this year, NASCAR and managing director Brad Moran detailed its finding to the media the next week with a press conference outside the Cup Series hauler on Saturday morning at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
“We had a great race at Talladega, over 70 lead changes, and we wanted that to be the story,” Moran said. “Unfortunately, when it comes to post-race inspection, we do have a process … and everyone must apply to the rules.
“Unfortunately, with the 4 car, we had loose and missing fasteners on the windshield. The infraction is pretty clear. Windshield fasteners must remain secured throughout the entire race. … Pretty straightforward rule, so for the 4 car, we have pictures here. We didn’t bring the whole windshield because it’s the fasteners but you can see what we’re talking about here.
Moran said NASCAR realized fairly quickly that there was an issue because the windshield was not securely attached to the frame.
“There were three bolts missing, and you can see the windshield seal that blew out …,” Moran said. “Seven of the eight fasteners along the top were loose or missing. There’s eight total. Here’s a close-up shot of the three that are missing. There’s three missing there, and you can see the seal coming out there. It was quite the obvious problem when the car rolled in for inspection.”
“They are like a lock nut, but they’re better than a nylon lock nut. For safety reasons and security reasons, these are a better locking plate.”
Moran then pulled out a generic A frame with the fasteners and showed how it’s impossible to loosen them with hands or fingers.
“It requires force,” Moran said. “I don’t think anyone in this garage can loosen it with their fingers. These will not vibrate or come out, even if they’re loose. These locking nuts can come out and be replaced so that anyone feels they’re getting used or worn, they can be replaced.”
“It’s basically like a lock nut, but it’s better quality, and that’s why they are there across the top bottom and the entire A post.”
“You cannot loosen these with your hands so for them to come loose or be missing, something went wrong. It’s not up for us to determine what went wrong, but something was incorrect when we did our post-race inspection.”
Further, the windshield appeared to be secured or rather was intended to be, with a gel or silicone, and Moran said the fasteners would do the job effectively.
“We have not seen this problem before until now,” Moran said. “No LocTite is necessary, silicone doesn’t need to be because this part will not fail if it’s secured.”
Moran would not offer a potential explanation for why the No. 4 team did it.
“You can talk to different aero people, and they’ll give you different answers like changing the airflow, but we want them tight and installed for safety reasons,” Moran said.
There were seven missing or loose fasteners, but Moran said it would have been the same penalty even if it were just one.
“If it was one or three or eight, we would be having the same conversations today,” Moran said.
For his part, Harvick said he felt indifferent about the penalty.
“Obviously, you don’t want to be in the middle of those situations,” Harvick said. “I don’t have an opinion one way or the other. I can see it both ways.”
It’s just, look, I did my job, and the rest is open for debate about who did what.
“Are the rules good or bad? I don’t know. I hear it from both sides. I can see it from both sides in one shape or form. I didn’t dig deep into whether it was just or unjust. I found out like everyone else when I got home.”
Matt Weaver is a Motorsports Insider for Sportsnaut. Follow him on Twitter.