IndyCar: Chevy statement on engine penalty

Chevrolet has revealed that a potentially faulty batch of valve springs made necessary the engine updates that resulted in its

manufacturer's championship points penalty from IndyCar

"We identified a batch of valve springs that, due to a process change at one of our suppliers, may fracture before the full mileage requirement," said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. "We notified IndyCar of the issue and obtained approval to change the valve springs. Eleven of our 12 engines were updated following the St. Petersburg race. Based on lower accrued mileage, the current plan is to address the 12th engine after the race at Barber Motorsports Park."

Chevrolet, which earned 128 points at St. Petersburg, was penalized 220 points for the violation of IndyCar engine regulations. Manufacturers earn points based on their top-three finishing positions in each race, along with bonus points for pole and most laps led. They can also earn an additional 10 points for each engine that reaches its 2500-mile change-out limit.

However engines that fail to complete their life cycle incur a 20-point deduction, and 20 points are also deducted for an engine undergoing non-minor repair that requires a component change.