Gordon allowed in Chase

JOLIET, Ill. - NASCAR added Jeff Gordon to the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship field Friday, a stunning and unprecedented step in the fallout from at least two attempts to manipulate the results of the regular season-ending race at Richmond last weekend.

NASCAR Chairman Brian France expanded the field to 13 drivers for the first time since the format was implemented in 2004.

Front Row Motorsports appeared to ask for a deal from Penske Racing in the closing laps at Richmond as part of an apparent request from Penske to give Joey Logano pivotal track position he needed to earn a spot in the Chase. Logano passed Front Row driver David Gilliland, who then seemed to slow down by at least 1 mph, according to an Associated Press review of radio communications and data.

France said NASCAR could not determine there was a deal between Front Row and Penske, but still believed the move was necessary to protect the integrity of the series. He said both teams had been placed on probation for the rest of the season.

“Too many things altered the event and gave an unfair disadvantage to Jeff and his team,” France said. “More than anything, it’s just the right thing to do. There were just too many things that went on Saturday night.”

Gordon, the four-time champion, will join Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jimmie Johnson, the five-time champion, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne in the Chase.

“It’s been a roller-coaster ride of emotions this week. An unprecedented set of circumstances,” Gordon said. “ I’m extremely happy for this. We’re proud to be in it. An incredible set of opportunities now lie on our shoulders to show we belong in the Chase.”

Gordon will go into the Chase as the 13th seed, 15 points behind leader Matt Kenseth when the 10-race series begins Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway.

“I applaud NASCAR for taking the time for a full review,” Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick said in a statement. “We’re extremely proud to have all four cars in the Chase for the second consecutive season. Jeff and the No. 24 team earned this spot.”

Trading favors on and off the track is common in NASCAR, but the series had to investigate the Penske and Front Row bargaining allegation following the embarrassment of Michael Waltrip Racing’s attempt to manipulate the outcome of the race to benefit Martin Truex Jr.

NASCAR punished the MWR organization Monday for its shenanigans over the final seven laps and pulled Truex out of the Chase in favor of Ryan Newman.

Speaking before NASCAR’s decision to put Gordon in the Chase, Truex was asked what he’d think if the field was expanded to include the four-time champion.

“Well, my team deserves to be in this Chase as much as any of those teams,” Truex said. “If they’re going to start putting people back in, they ought to consider us, too.”

Truex is still out, though, punishment for his teammates working so hard to help him get in.

NASCAR will hold a mandatory team and driver meeting today to clarify “the rules of the road” moving forward.

France would not specify what won’t be tolerated.

NASCAR-Sprint Cup GEICO 400 LINEUP

After Friday qualifying; race Sunday At Chicagoland Speedway, Joliet, Ill.

Lap length: 1.5 miles (Car number in parentheses)

  1. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 189.414 mph.

  2. (2) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 189.248.

  3. (42) Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevrolet, 189.062.

  4. (5) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 188.785.

  5. (17) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 188.772.

  6. (24) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 188.541.

  7. (16) Greg Biffle, Ford, 188.515.

  8. (99) Carl Edwards, Ford, 188.357.

  9. (48) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 188.304.

  10. (20) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 188.298.

  11. (27) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 188.298.

  12. (18) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 188.291.

  13. (47) A J Allmendinger, Toyota, 188.278.

  14. (56) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, 188.258.

  15. (43) Aric Almirola, Ford, 188.127.

  16. (78) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 188.075.

  17. (29) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 187.957.

  18. (88) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 187.878.

  19. (34) David Ragan, Ford, 187.513.

  20. (39) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 187.207.

  21. (31) Jeff Burton, Chevrolet, 186.903.

  22. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 186.812.

  23. (10) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, 186.774.

  24. (15) Clint Bowyer, Toyota, 186.754.

  25. (55) Brian Vickers, Toyota, 186.445.

  26. (9) Marcos Ambrose, Ford, 186.085.

  27. (1) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 185.88.

  28. (30) Cole Whitt, Toyota, 185.778.

  29. (14) Mark Martin, Chevrolet, 185.765.

  30. (36) J.J. Yeley, Chevrolet, 185.414.

  31. (13) Casey Mears, Ford, 184.445.

  32. (40) Landon Cassill, Chevrolet, 184.407.

  33. (83) David Reutimann, Toyota, 184.376.

  34. (35) Josh Wise, Ford, 184.344.

  35. (38) David Gilliland, Ford, 184.106.

  36. (51) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 184.08.

  37. (93) Travis Kvapil, Toyota, Owner Points.

  38. (98) Michael McDowell, Ford, Owner Points.

  39. (32) Timmy Hill, Ford, Owner Points.

  40. (95) Reed Sorenson, Ford, Owner Points.

  41. (7) Dave Blaney, Chevrolet, Owner Points.

  42. (87) Joe Nemechek, Toyota, Owner Points.

  43. (33) Tony Raines, Chevrolet, Owner Points.

Sports, Pages 19 on 09/14/2013

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