KENSETH PENALIZED, BLACK-FLAGGED AT ATLANTA
Matt Kenseth had his race derailed after an improper fueling penalty prompted NASCAR to black flag his No. 20 Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
During a pit stop, the Joe Gibbs Racing gas man placed a tool on the rear of Kenseth's Toyota Camry, which is illegal. According to the NASCAR rule book, "The Fueler must be in control of the fuel can at all times when fuel is being added to the vehicle. The Fueler will not be permitted to perform any adjustments or other pit stop procedures while the fuel can coupler is engaged with the vehicle-mounted adapter."
As crew chief Jason Ratcliff attempted to get clarification from NASCAR officials, Kenseth continued to run laps despite being black-flagged. He was then shown the black flag with a diagonal white stripe, meaning NASCAR had stopped scoring his laps. He lost one lap that way, then another lap when he served the pass-through penalty.
Kenseth, who was unaware he had been black-flagged, was unhappy with the lack of communication from his team.
"I didn't know we had any kind of problem. Nobody told me," Kenseth said over his in-car radio. "Pretty much just threw our race away unless we get everything to fall in our lap."
Ratcliff tried to calm down his driver. "I can't see the black-and-white flag when I'm out of the pit box arguing the case."
He had led 47 laps to that point.
Matt Kenseth had his race derailed after an improper fueling penalty prompted NASCAR to black flag his No. 20 Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
During a pit stop, the Joe Gibbs Racing gas man placed a tool on the rear of Kenseth's Toyota Camry, which is illegal. According to the NASCAR rule book, "The Fueler must be in control of the fuel can at all times when fuel is being added to the vehicle. The Fueler will not be permitted to perform any adjustments or other pit stop procedures while the fuel can coupler is engaged with the vehicle-mounted adapter."
As crew chief Jason Ratcliff attempted to get clarification from NASCAR officials, Kenseth continued to run laps despite being black-flagged. He was then shown the black flag with a diagonal white stripe, meaning NASCAR had stopped scoring his laps. He lost one lap that way, then another lap when he served the pass-through penalty.
Kenseth, who was unaware he had been black-flagged, was unhappy with the lack of communication from his team.
"I didn't know we had any kind of problem. Nobody told me," Kenseth said over his in-car radio. "Pretty much just threw our race away unless we get everything to fall in our lap."
Ratcliff tried to calm down his driver. "I can't see the black-and-white flag when I'm out of the pit box arguing the case."
He had led 47 laps to that point.
