NASCAR President Mike Helton addresses MWR penalties

                                      
NASCAR President Mike Helton's opening statement to Monday night's press conference:

"We're here to talk about NASCAR's reaction today to Michael Waltrip Racing following the Richmond event this past weekend, and as we typically do following the race in reviewing what might have happened there, we've spent the last day and a half or so collecting all the factual information we could, video, audio, timing and scoring information, and what other pieces were available to us.

"Today we reviewed all that collectively, a group from NASCAR did that. We invited Michael Waltrip Racing, who accepted that invitation to come to the R & D Center and sit with us to talk about from their perspective what unfolded at Richmond Saturday night, and from all of that, the conclusion is in front of you," he said.

"Today we're announcing that NASCAR is reacting to Michael Waltrip Racing by fining Michael Waltrip, owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, $300,000, suspending Ty Norris indefinitely, and each team of Michael Waltrip Racing will be fined 50 owner points and 50 driver points. This naturally is a very significant reaction from NASCAR. As multiple car owners have become a very positive integral part of our support, also comeswith it, though, responsibility from NASCAR and as well the car owners, to maintain a fair and level playing field.

"We've discussed, we've talked about what‑ifs over the years, particularly since the Chase was established, particularly with the evolution of multiple‑car teams, and we've been very fortunate that we've not had any occurrences that required NASCAR to step up or step out, as we have had to today. It's difficult. It's not an easy decision to make. Conversations about it were deep. We feel like we researched it extremely well, talked at great length with the folks from Michael Waltrip Racing to try to get to the right spot and make the correct decision, and that's what we feel like we have done."