KANSAS CITY, Kan. – Matt Kenseth’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff ended abruptly under a red flag Sunday at Kansas, after his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota was damaged in a 14-car pileup on the backstretch.
Erik Jones, who will replace Kenseth in the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing ride next season, lost control of his No. 77 Furniture Row Racing Toyota and ignited the wreck. Kenseth brought his wounded car to pit road, where seven crewmen—one more than the six allowed by rule–began repairs.
Under NASCAR’s damaged vehicle policy, the penalty for that violation is disqualification, and Kenseth was informed by his crew chief that he was out of the race—and consequently out of the Playoff.
“I don’t know a lot about it,” Kenseth said of the rule that ousted him. “Honestly, I’ve never heard of disqualifying somebody from a race if you got one too many guys over the wall, or whatever happened there. I don’t really know.
“I really don’t have a lot of good things to say at the moment, so I’ll probably try not to say much. Pretty disappointing way to end. Can’t even go back on the race track because of the error we made. It’s just – couldn’t be any more disappointed.”
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