CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Hendrick Motorsports will pay the $185,000 in fines levied against six crew members for their role in a post-race fight at Texas between Jeff Gordon and Brad Keselowski.
NASCAR fined and suspended four Hendrick team members, while the crew chiefs for Gordon and Kasey Kahne were also fined.
Hendrick Motorsports general manager Doug Duchardt said Wednesday on Sirius XM that the organization would cover all the fines.
“We will, as a team, incur that and won’t put that on the crew members,” Duchardt said.
While NASCAR’s star drivers make millions of dollars a year, and the top crew chiefs can reach the seven-figure mark, mechanics and pit crew members make a modest living. Very few reach six figures annually.
NASCAR fined Kahne crew member Jeremy Fuller and Gordon crew members Dwayne Doucette and Jason Ingle $25,000 each. All three were also suspended for six races.
Gordon crew member Dean Mozingo was fined $10,000 and suspended three races. Crew chiefs Alan Gustafson and Kenny Francis were fined $50,000 each.
Duchardt said the crew members were under control as Gordon attempted to speak to Keselowski, and the situation escalated when Kevin Harvick shoved Keselowski from behind into the scrum.
“That whole situation was going to be a discussion, and we were getting ready … to disburse, and then Kevin pushed Brad in and it all got started,” Duchardt said. “I felt like our guys were conducting themselves and everyone was letting Jeff and Brad talk, and then it escalated.”
NASCAR did not fine Keselowski, Gordon or Harvick for the incident, which left Keselowski spitting blood and Gordon with a bloodied lip.
NASCAR only penalized crew members it could identify in video as having thrown a punch. The crew chiefs were fined because they are ultimately responsible for the actions of their team members.
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