Overturned NASCAR Penalty Shakes Up Playoff Race for 6 Drivers

Getty Jeremy Clements is back in the Xfinity Series playoffs.

The National Motorsports Appeals Panel has made a final decision about penalties handed down to Jeremy Clements Racing. The panel rescinded the penalties and put the No. 51 back in the Xfinity Series playoffs.

“The National Motorsports Appeals Panel today heard and considered an appeal of an L2 penalty issued on Aug. 30, 2022, to driver Jeremy Clements, team owner Tony Clements, and crew chief Mark Setzer in the NASCAR Xfinity Series,” the release stated.

“The penalty concerns the following section in the 2022 NASCAR Rule Book: Section 14.6.12.K&U Intake Manifold. The penalties issued were the loss of 75 championship driver and owner points, 10 championship Playoff points, and a $60,000 fine to the crew chief.”

The appeals panel — Mr. Tom DeLoach, Mr. Richard Gore, and Mr. Dixon Johnston — determined that the Xfinity Series team did not violate the rules set forth in the penalty notice.

Clements Now Returns to the Playoffs

GettyJeremy Clements celebrates a win at Daytona International Speedway.

The win at Daytona International Speedway shook up the playoff picture. Clements jumped above the cutline and knocked Ryan Sieg out of the 12-driver field. The penalty took away Clements’ spot in the playoffs, but now he is back above the cutline.

The battle at the cutoff line is now even more intense considering that the decision comes before the regular-season finale. Landon Cassill is now the final driver above the cutline, and he has a 19-point advantage. Teammate Daniel Hemric is just above him at 37 points above the cutline.

Sieg, who was just above the cutline, is now the first driver below. He is 19 points behind Cassill heading toward the regular-season finale. Sheldon Creed is now 32 points back of the cutline after a second-place finish at Darlington Raceway helped him gain some points.

“Our small, family-owned team works hard to bring a safe, legal and competitive car to the racetrack every week and are pleased that the previous ruling was overturned,” Clements Racing said in a statement. “We remain focused on competing for the 2022 Xfinity Series championship and appreciate the continued support of our fans and sponsors.”

Clements Now Can Focus on Points

GettyJeremy Clements races at Bristol Motor Speedway.

When NASCAR originally announced the penalties, the situation drastically changed for Clements. He went from being in the playoffs to being back in a must-win situation with very few races remaining in the regular season.

Now that he has won the appeal, Clements can shift his focus to a different task. He can work on stacking as many points as possible during the regular-season finale in order to help himself fight for a spot above the cutline once the playoffs begin.

The driver of the No. 51 has made 22 total starts at Bristol Motor Speedway during his Xfinity Series career. He has three top-10 finishes and one top-five at the historic short track. Clements is also in the midst of a six-race streak that features top-15 finishes and two of these top-10s.

Clements will now try to keep this streak alive, secure some stage points, and turn in a strong finish during the regular-season finale. The Food City 300 will take place on Friday, September 16 at 7:30 p.m. ET (USA Network, NBC Sports App, PRN, Sirius XM NASCAR Radio).