NASCAR introduces new penalty system for 2014
NASCAR officials are confident that the series' new deterrence system will make both its judicial and appeal process more fair and transparent

Under the new system, which was announced on Tuesday, specific disciplinary actions will be mandated based upon the severity of technical infractions, which will be assessed on a sliding scale ranging from warnings through six penalty levels.
Lower 'P-level' infractions will be punishable by financial or points penalties, while higher-ranked infringements are expected to also include multiple penalty elements such as fines and suspensions.
Repeat offenses by the same car will be subject to a 'recurrence multiplier'. For example if a car receives two P4-level penalties in a season, the penalty will increase by 50 per cent for the second offence.
The new system does not apply to behavioural infractions.
"The new deterrent system is going to provide a clear path for our competitors to fully understand the boundaries while shoring up some grey areas which may have been in existence, all in an effort to be as transparent as possible," said NASCAR's executive vice president of racing operations Steve O'Donnell.
Robin Pemberton, NASCAR vice president of competition, offered examples of where certain infractions would fit into the new system.
"When we're looking at a P4 penalty, it would be something that could be unapproved weight location, some minor engine components, generally outside the engine, that would not be correct," he said.
"Approved parts that are not installed properly, maybe spoiler angles that don't meet what we need to have. That's somewhere in the P4 range.

"A P6 range, being the highest level, those are the ones that will be more significant, and they are the engines, engine compression ratio, additives like nitrous oxide or things that are for performance.
"[For] a P6, you could lose any of the benefits of winning a race or starting a race, and so if you win a race and you have a P6 penalty, we will not use that win for either seeding or to help you get further into the Chase at the end of the year."
The basis for penalties, and an explanation for how they are assessed, will be included in the 2014 rule book.
NASCAR's appeals system continues to operate under a two-tier structure.
NASCAR carries the initial burden of proving to a three-person panel that an infringement occurred.
On the second and final level, only a NASCAR member is permitted to appeal, and they have the burden of demonstrating that the initial panel decision was incorrect.

Penske supports radical changes to NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase
IndyCar refugee Alex Tagliani returning to Canadian NASCAR series

Latest news
The ex-F1 driver taking on NASCAR with a new team
Saddled with uncompetitive Minardi machinery, Tarso Marques didn't manage to score points in his three partial seasons of Formula 1. But now the Brazilian has the chance to show what he can do in NASCAR, and explains the story of his comeback with new Cup Series entrant Team Stange
The early benefits and challenges of NASCAR's Next Gen car
NASCAR’s new stock car generation is encouraging an influx of fresh blood into its top tier. But there are concerns that parts are in short supply as the entire paddock tries to build up stocks at the same time
How Penske's rookie sensation opened NASCAR's new era in style
After holding his nerve and hip-checking his team-mate on the run to the line, Austin Cindric made a perfect start to life as a full-timer in the NASCAR Cup Series by winning the Daytona 500. Here's how the Penske Ford man emerged first across the line in the first points-scoring race for the much-anticipated Next Generation cars
Six key themes to follow in the 2022 NASCAR Cup season
There are plenty of uncertainties ahead of the 2022 NASCAR Cup season as an all-new fleet of cars take to the track for the first time. Ahead of this weekend's Daytona 500, our experts explain what you need to know
How NASCAR had to learn a harsh lesson ahead of its Next Gen arrival
The NASCAR Cup kicks off with the Daytona 500 this weekend, but a major overhaul and a subsequent mountain of work has been required to be ready for the arrival of the Next Gen cars
How Larson took the long way round to NASCAR Cup glory
From villain to hero, Kyle Larson’s journey to the 2021 NASCAR Cup title comes straight from the Hollywood blockbuster scripts. While Larson had to reach his lifelong goal the hard way and go through a very public shaming after a ban for using a racial slur, his talents shone long before his name grabbed the headlines for both the right and the wrong reasons
How NASCAR is gearing up for its "biggest change" in 2022
It’s not just Formula 1 that’s set for upheaval in 2022, as the NASCAR Cup Series adopts its Next Gen cars that will cast any in-built advantages aside and require teams to adopt a totally new way of operating. Far more than just a change of machinery, the new cars amount to a shift in NASCAR's core philosophy
Why Bubba Wallace’s Talladega win is such a big moment for NASCAR
Bubba Wallace claimed his maiden NASCAR Cup Series at Talladega on Monday to become the first Black victor in the category since Wendell Scott in 1963. Both Wallace and Scott had faced obstacles and racism in their paths to their breakthrough wins, and NASCAR is trying to put it right with its range of diversity programmes