Dale Jr. was surprised to witness Kyle Busch walking freely while Ricky Stenhouse Jr. received a significant penalty.
The NASCAR Cup garage was in for a big surprise when penalty reports for the 2024 All-Star race at North Wilkesboro were released. The governing body imposed a substantial fine of $75,000 on Ricky Stenhouse Jr. for physically assaulting another driver after being hit on the second lap of the race.
NASCAR emphasized that Ricky Stenhouse Jr. deserved the penalty as the situation could have been avoided. They believe he had enough time to consider the consequences of his actions. Several NASCAR figures, including a Hall of Famer, expressed their disagreement with the severity of the penalty.
The two-time Xfinity Series champion, in addressing comments made by a NASCAR senior vice president defending the decision, argued that he does not agree with the arguments. He believes NASCAR chose to impose the heavy fine on Stenhouse because the incident occurred in front of several cameras and media.
Junior pointed out on the same podcast that the 2023 Daytona 500 champion should challenge the substantial fine imposed on him. He believes it is excessive, but also warned the driver of the No. 47 Chevy that if he wins the appeal, he may become a target.
It will be interesting to see if the JTGD Racing team will follow the advice of the Hall of Famer and appeal the decision. Both NASCAR and the driver have valid arguments in their favor, so the appeal may not produce the desired outcome for both parties involved.
