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| NASCAR |
Penske Racing’s Logano, who got into the Chase with the help of Michael Waltrip Racing’s cars, may also have been aided by Front Row Motorsports’ Gilliland.
Gilliland, who shares the same manufacturer as Logano (Ford), may have given up his position to let Logano pass him in the final laps.
In radio communications received from by USA Today Sports for Gilliland, it seems his spotter is passing along a request to let Logano pass him on the closing laps while Ryan Newman was leading the race.
A voice, believed to be Gilliland crew chief Frank Kerr, asks who the request is coming from. The spotter replies: “We’ve got the big dog and all his cronies.” This is believed to be a reference to team owner Roger Penske, who often is on the spotter stand.
Kerr responds: “Travis knows what I’ve been asking for,” possibly a reference to Penske Racing competition director Travis Geisler.
Logano passed Gilliland on a restart and finished 22nd.
“Good job, good job, man,” the spotter says post-race. “Hopefully we’ll get something out of that.”
NASCAR released a statement Wednesday afternoon that reads: “NASCAR is aware of reports about the No. 22 and No. 38 radio communications at Richmond International Raceway and is looking into it, but has yet to see anything in full context that requires any action.”
Front Row Motorsports spokesman Jeff Dennison said the team did not heed a Penske request to give Logano track position before the final restart, according to the Associated Press.
Even if Logano had gained an extra point from passing Gilliland, it had no impact on the final outcome of the race.
Logano made the top 10 by one point over Jeff Gordon, but he also owned a tiebreaker with Gordon. He would have had to finish two positions further back to be knocked out of the top 10.
But even then, Logano still would have made the Chase; he finished the regular season with a 10-point lead over Newman and Truex, who tied for the final wild card spot.
By finishing in the top 10, Logano will be able to use three bonus points from his Michigan win toward the Chase.
MWR was already given the largest penalty in NASCAR history for its intentional race manipulation, part of which knocked MWR driver Martin Truex Jr. out of the Chase.
On Monday, Truex Jr. was thrown out of the 12-driver Chase lineup and Ryan Newman, on pace to win at Richmond before MWR’s Clint Bowyer spun with seven laps remaining, was allowed into the field. The team was fined $300,000 and each driver docked 50 points. General manager Ty Norris was suspended indefinitely for giving Brian Vickers the command to pit under green with four laps left, allowing Logano to gain spots on the track.
Logano earned his first career Chase berth during the Federated Auto Parts 400.
The drivers are on a nationwide tour today to promote the Chase, which kicks off Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway.
