NASCAR to investigate brawl between Keselowski and Gordon

Both drivers appeared to have marks to their faces after crews from both teams got together, and NASCAR senior vice-president of competition and racing development Robin Pemberton said that the series would not accept drivers and crews coming to blows.

"You shouldn't punch somebody," he said. "Everybody gets together, and when you're holding onto each other and grabbing and this, that and the other, that's one thing.

"When punches are landed, that's a different scenario. We have a lot of work to do this week."

Keselowski is already on probation following another pitroad incident three weeks ago, and Pemberton said that the spike in altercations was the result of pressure from the new Chase format.

"We knew the format was going to put a lot of pressure on people to perform and make aggressive moves and decisions out there on the race track," Pemberton said.

"You could see the result of that after the race.

"We're going to take our time. We've got a lot of film to review and things like that.

"The important thing is to make the right decision at the end of the day."

While any penalties resulting from the fight will be announced later in the week, NASCAR is not investigating the on-track contact between Keselowski and Gordon that triggered it.

"It was hard racing, and this is a contact sport," Pemberton said.

"You look at what drivers are trying to do. We had a couple shots at a green-white-chequered finish, and everybody was going for it. Nobody was leaving anything behind."

KESELOWSKI DEFENDS DRIVING

Keselowski was adamant his driving was within the boundaries of acceptable aggression.

"Last year I got away from being as aggressive as I was in 2012. I didn't make the Chase [in 2013]. I won one race. That's not acceptable to me," he said.

"That means when there's a gap, I have to take it. If it requires a tiny bit of rubbing, that's OK.

"I'm not trying to dish out something that I couldn't take myself.

"But these guys have their own code, and they race differently than that. That's their right."

Gordon said Keselowski was bringing the controversies on himself.

"I don't know how he's ever won a championship," said Gordon.

"The way he races, that's why everybody's fighting him and running him down.

"You can't have a conversation with him. He beats his own drum, gets in this position himself, he's got to face the consequences.

"The kid is just doing stuff way over his head."