NASCAR Abandons Secret Fines
 

CUP: NASCAR Abandons ‘Secret’ Fines
NASCAR decides to reveal fines to competitors after years of issuing secret penalties…


BleachersReport 26 Jan

The era of the NASCAR secret fine apparently is over.

The sanctioning body issued a statement Wednesday afternoon saying that future fines issued to its competitors will be made public.

“NASCAR will no longer issue fines that are undisclosed,” the statement read. “We looked at this issue from every angle and gathered feedback from the industry. While there are always sensitivities related to sponsor relationships and other leagues may continue issuing disclosed and undisclosed fines, NASCAR has decided that all fines moving forward will be made public after the competitor or organization that has been penalized has been informed.”

NASCAR has received criticism over the past several seasons after issuing undisclosed fines to competitors. The fines, primarily issued after drivers criticized the sanctioning body, generally were discovered by news media members and exposed in publications or online.

NASCAR chairman Brian France, questioned about the practice last November, seemed surprised that there was a significant issue about the situation. Other major professional sports organizations typically disclose fines.

France said in November, however, that NASCAR officials would review the situation.

Mike Hembree is NASCAR Editor for SPEED.com and has been covering motorsports for 30 years. He is a six-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award.