Harrisburg, NC – NASCAR announced today that the #44 Chevrolet driven by Peyton Sellers would earn 30th place points and forfeit it’s season-opening win in the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150 at Greenville Pickens Speedway due to a rules infraction. Per NASCAR, this decision can not be appealed.
H.C. Sellers was also banned from the next three NASCAR Camping World East Series events.
“Needless to say we are shocked and disappointed,” ASM owner Andy Santerre stated. “We are being made an example. We admit there was a rules infraction, it was a shock to us as much as it was unintentional and unknown prior to post-race inspection. We conceded that and worked with NASCAR to make sure it was not found in any of the other shocks or on the second ASM car. It was not. We understood there would be ramifications, but to go against past precedent and take the win is disappointing.”
Santerre continues, “The one thing we know in the NCWES is if we finish in the top-5, which for ASM, is about every week, the tranny, the rear gear and the shocks are coming apart. It would be stupid to do something that blatant intentionally when we know it will be checked. Santerre explains, “We built shocks for a team last year and bought them back at the end of last year. We dynoed them and they seemed the same as when we built them. We tested all four shocks on the car at Greenville, but to make the car better, we changed three of them, but one of the shocks stayed on the car. It was this shock that was illegal.”
The decision gives ASM teammate, Austin Dillon, his first win in his first race in the series.
ASM would like to formally apologize to all our sponsors who are an integral part of our program and success – Strutmasters, Casella and SkillsUSA. We have and will always put integrity first as do you in your respective businesses.
ASM became the first team in NASCAR East Series history to lose a points win for a rules infraction.