Kenseth Doesn’t Win Final Appeal

Matt Kenseth will not be in the car for the next two weeks.

The driver of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota lost his final appeal today. Bryan Moss, the National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer, upheld the two race suspension, but he amended the probation period from sixth months to Dec. 31.

In a statement from Moss, he said that he “heard and considered the appeal of a Behavioral Penalty issued on Nov. 3, 2015, to Matt Kenseth relative to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series vehicle #20 at Martinsville Speedway.”

National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer Statement
(Nov. 5, 2015)

Today the National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer, Mr. Bryan Moss, heard and considered the appeal of a Behavioral Penalty issued on Nov. 3, 2015 to Matt Kenseth (driver) relative to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series vehicle #20 at Martinsville Speedway.

The penalty concerns the following sections in the 2015 NASCAR Rule Book: Sections 12.1 and 12.8.

The original penalty assessed included suspension from NASCAR until the completion of the next two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events and placed on NASCAR probation for six months following the issuance of the Penalty Notice.

Earlier today, a three-person National Motorsports Appeals Panel heard the appeal and made the following decisions:

1. The Appellant violated the rules set forth in the Penalty notice;
2. The Panel affirms and upholds the original Penalty levied by NASCAR.

Upon hearing this afternoon’s testimony, the National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer made the following decisions:

1. The Appellant violated the Rules set forth in the Penalty Notice;
2. The Penalty is amended to: “Suspended from NASCAR until the completion of the next two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship Events. Placed on NASCAR probation through December 31, 2015.”

The decision of the National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer is final and binding on all parties.

As a result of the outcome, Kenseth’s suspension begins immediately. He’ll sit out this weekend’s AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway and next weekend’s Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. Erik Jones will drive the No. 20 car this weekend.

Kenseth lost his first appeal earlier today when the National Motorsports Appeals Committee upheld the original penalty levied by NASCAR.

Kenseth was penalized for his actions that led to taking out race leader Joey Logano with 47 laps to go in this past Sunday’s Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville Speedway.