FOX Sports has exclusively learned of team radio communication with David Gilliland during Saturday night's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Richmond International Raceway that allegedly asks the driver to intentionally give up a position to help Joey Logano cement a berth in the Chase for Sprint Cup.
Logano earned the 10th and final spot locked in on points, ahead of the two wild-card berths. NASCAR is looking into the issue and it could lead to another shakeup in the Chase.
The radio communication from the No. 38 team reveals that a voice on the radio, believed to be Gilliland crew chief Frank Kerr, tells the spotter to tell Logano's spotter that the track position "better pay big."
"The committee knows what I've been asking for," Kerr says.
"We've got the big dog and all his cronies," the spotter replies.
Kerr then says: "Travis knows what I've been asking for," an apparent reference to Penske Racing competition director Travis Geisler.
A short time later, Logano passed Gilliland on a restart and finished 22nd -- one spot ahead of Gilliland and good enough for a berth in the Chase field.
"Good job, good job, man," the spotter says. "Hopefully we'll get something out of that
Wednesday afternoon, the sanctioning body issued a statement on the issue:
"NASCAR is aware of reports about the No. 22 and No. 38 radio communications at Richmond International Raceway and is looking into it, but has yet to see anything in full context that requires any action."
Jeff Gordon , who was eliminated from the Chase field by Logano's finish, said he felt he deserved to be in the championship-determining field.
I havent heard the audio, I heard about it," he said Wednesday afternoon at a charity event. "All I can say is I really feel like we deserve to be in it based on everything that happened Saturday night.
updated by @johnny-mallonee: 12/05/16 04:04:08PM
