Brad Keselowski Says NASCAR Needs Thicker Skin Over Darrell Wallace Jr. Tweet

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Photo - Kena Krutsinger/Getty Images

Photo – Kena Krutsinger/Getty Images

Widely outspoken NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Brad Keselowski driver didn’t wholly defend NASCAR XFINITY Series driver Darrell Wallace Jr. for his critical tweet towards NASCAR last Friday night at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway, but the 2012 Cup champion did say the Sanctioning Body could stand to loosen up after fining Wallace $15,000 Wednesday morning.

Late in the race, Wallace driver of the No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford Mustang was penalized one spot on the track for not maintaining reasonable speed under caution. Hoping to save fuel, Wallace reduced his pace considerably prompting the penalty. Adding insult to injury, Wallace was also involved in a last-lap crash adding fuel to his frustration.

The 22-year-old and former NASCAR diversity driver took to social media shortly after the race and posted the now notorious tweet. Keselowski, a frequent XFINITY competitor didn’t justify the tweet, but said NASCAR shouldn’t have reacted as harshly.

“I was a little surprised by both the comments and the reaction to be quite honest,” Keselowski said on Friday at Kentucky Speedway. “I thought there was an understanding or at least an understanding from my perspective that it’s probably not a good idea to say what was said.

“But at the same time, it’s my feeling that we all have to have a little bit thicker skin than that as well. So my overall thoughts on it is that two wrongs don’t make a right.”

In its penalty report distributed Wednesday, NASCAR cited a violation of sections 12.1, 12.8 an and 12.8.1 b of the NASCAR rule book. Section 12.8.a allows NASCAR to fine XFINITY Series drivers between $5,000 and $25,000 for remarks that disparage NASCAR for actions detrimental to the sport.

This isn’t the first time this season NASCAR has fined drivers for disparaging remarks about the Sanctioning Body.

In April, Sprint Cup Series owner and driver Tony Stewart was fined $35,000 when he said NASCAR was putting drivers at risk by not mandating teams securing all five lug nuts to a wheel before a car leaves pit road. Subsequently, NASCAR modified its policy only a few days later, forcing teams to secure every lug nut or face varying penalties across all three NASCAR national series platforms.

Despite the change, Stewart’s penalty was neither rescinded or appealed.