CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Chase Briscoe, who secured the pole position for the Daytona 500, faced a significant setback on Wednesday after NASCAR revealed that Joe Gibbs Racing had modified the spoiler on the No. 19 Toyota during time trials.

As a consequence of this infraction, Joe Gibbs Racing incurred a loss of 100 points attributed to both the driver and owner, along with a reduction of 10 playoff points. The spoiler, which is a single-source component, cannot undergo modifications, and these alterations were identified during NASCAR’s inspection process.

In addition to the point deductions, JGR was hit with a fine totaling $100,000, and crew chief James Small received a suspension that will keep him from participating in four races. Following these penalties, Briscoe’s standings were adversely affected; he now sits at 67 points below zero, plummeting from 10th to 39th position in the rankings.

Joe Gibbs Racing has announced its intention to appeal the decision, explaining that the issue arose during the assembly process. They stated that the bolts used to attach the spoiler base to the deck lid caused the pre-drilled holes to become worn due to interference with the supplied parts.

This latest penalty is part of a concerning trend, as it is the second straight year that the pole-winner of the Daytona 500 has faced penalties. Last year, Joey Logano was penalized for having an illegal glove during his qualifying attempt in 2024.

The situation puts Briscoe in a difficult position as he embarks on his first season with Gibbs Racing. The earliest he can improve his points total will be at the third race of the season, taking place at the Circuit of the Americas.

Alongside Briscoe’s penalty, additional sanctions were issued on Wednesday to the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports team driven by Todd Gilliland and the No. 51 Rick Ware Racing team of Cody Ware. Both teams faced penalties for a safety violation due to the addition of ballast to their vehicles, resulting in a loss of 10 driver points and a corresponding deduction of 10 owner points for each team.