The National Motorsports Appeals Panel amended William Byron’s penalty on Thursday for his intentional contact to Denny Hamlin under caution at Texas Motor Speedway in September.
The driver of the No. 24 will now be issued a $100,000 fine with no championship points deduction.
Byron was initially docked 25 driver points and 25 owner points along with a $50,000 fine as a result of violating Sections 4.3.A & 4.4.C of the NASCAR Rule Book, which pertain to the NASCAR Member Code of Conduct.
Section 4.4.C states that member actions that can result in a loss of 25-50 driver and team owner points and/or $50,0000-$100,000 fine and/or suspension includes “intentionally wrecking another vehicle, whether or not that vehicle is removed from Competition as a result” and “any actions deemed to compromise the safety of an Event or otherwise pose a dangerous risk to the safety of Competitors, Officials, spectators, or others.”
The points portion of the initial penalty would have left Byron 10th in the playoff standings, 11 points beneath the elimination line.
After Thursday’s ruling, Byron vaults above the cutline heading into Sunday’s Bank of America ROVAL 400.
Sunday’s event is the Round of 12 elimination race. Byron now sits in seventh place, 14 points to the good.
Daniel Suárez is now 12 points above the cutline in eighth place. Chase Briscoe and Austin Cindric, who are tied in points and were initially on the elimination line together, now both sit 12 points back.