NASCAR Team RFK Racing Lodge appeals to the $75,000 Kansas Penalty

RFK Racing decided to appeal to the penalty it received for breaking the NASCAR Cup Series technical rules at Kansas Speedway earlier this month.

RFK Racing driver Chris Buscher docked 60 Championship playoff points and five more playoff points after exceeding the maximum reinforcement allowed for front bumper vehicles in the 12th round of the 2025 season.

Additionally, the RFK race was hit by a $75,000 fine, but crew Chief Scott Graves was suspended in two events, including the NASCAR All-Star race last weekend.

At the time, the Ford team said it was considering the situation to determine whether to appeal to a decision.

After careful deliberation, RFK decided to proceed with the appeal and shared the news in a short statement on social media.

“After a thorough review of the penalties issued to the No. 17 Ford Mustang, RFK Racing has decided to appeal the NASCAR decision,” it said.

“We respect NASCAR’s commitment to fair competition and appreciate the opportunity to engage in the appeal process.”

Busture took the Ford Mustang to 8th place in Kansas on May 11th, moving to 12th place overall in the championship.

However, the loss of 60 championship points led him to 24th in the rankings, dropping nine positions behind teammate Ryan Place.

Buescher’s car was taken to NASCAR’s research and development center in Concord, North Carolina for post-Kansas inspections, where it was found in violation of technical regulations.

NASCAR said that the changes to the bumper cover violated the overall assembled vehicle rules and section 14.1.c of the NASCAR rules relating to section 14.5.4.G, particularly related to the front bumper cover.