Monday that he lost against Mark.On Monday, Mark's crew chief, Ben Leslie, was fined $5,000 and Mark and his car owner, Jack Roush, each docked 25 points by NASCAR after an unapproved left-front spring was found on Mark's No. 6 Ford following Sunday's race at Rockingham, N.C.
The left front coil spring had approximately 4 3/8ths coils. The required minimum number of coils is 4 1/2. This is the third time this season NASCAR has stripped points from Winston Cup teams because of unapproved coil springs.
Mark finished second in the race and Stewart was 14th, allowing Mark to close to within 87 points of the leader. The penalty now leaves Mark 112 behind with two races remaining.
This marks the third penalty Mark's team has received this season. Leslie was fined $50,000 when Mark's car was found to be below the minimum height requirement after his victory in May in the Coca-Cola 600.
Leslie was also assessed a $1,000 fine for unapproved window straps during pre-qualifying inspection at Talladega, Ala.
In 1990, Mark was fined 46 points and then-crew chief Robin Pemberton fined $40,000 for an illegal carburetor spacer in car at Richmond, Va. Mark lost the Winston Cup championship that year to the late Dale Earnhardt by 26 points.
