RICHMOND, Va., April 26 (UPI) -- Drivers Brad Keselowski and Matt Kenseth, hit with point-reducing penalties for rule violations, say NASCAR standards for cheating are unfair.
Keselowski, whose team was penalized after a post-race inspection in Texas found his car's rear housings were not within the spirit of the rules, said his team did not intend to gain an advantage by violating the rules, USA Today reported Friday.
Keselowski said he has since been approached by several fans who ask, "Does this mean you're a cheater?"
"I don't think that [label] is fair because you look at the best players in the NBA -- Michael Jordan committed fouls and you don't see situations where the fans in the NBA look at him and call him a cheater," Keselowski said Thursday. "It's just kind of part of the game. When you're pushing to the limits, sometimes things just step over, whether it's intentional or not."
Kenseth was issued one of the largest penalties in NASCAR history when a part in his engine was found to weigh 2.7 grams less than regulation. He was docked 50 points and his crew chief, Jason Ratcliff, was fined $200,000 and suspended for six races.
Kenseth called the penalties "grossly unfair" and "borderline shameful." He said the part was assembled before it arrived in his garage.
