National Motorsports Appeals Panel upholds Matt Kenseth’s suspension

By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief

The National Motorsports Appeals Panel has decided to uphold the two race suspension levied by NASCAR to Matt Kenseth following a hearing earlier today.

The first appeal panel consisted of Ken Clapp, Bill Mullis and Dale Pinilis, heard the testimony but came to the following decisions:

1. The Appellant violated the rules set forth in the Penalty notice;
2. The Panel affirms and upholds the original Penalty levied by NASCAR.

The second and final appeal was heard by National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer Bryan Moss and came to the following decisions:

1. The Appellant violated the Rules set forth in the Penalty Notice;
2. The Penalty is amended to: “Suspended from NASCAR until the completion of the next two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship Events. Placed on NASCAR probation through December 31, 2015.”

With the suspension upheld it means that the former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion will not return until the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

In all likelihood Joe Gibbs Racing will turn to young up-and-comer Erik Jones to fill in for Kenseth for the next two weekends at Texas Motor Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway.

Image: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images