IndyCar: Hunter-Reay, Dracone top NOLA penalty list

Although NBCSN's TV analysts Paul Tracy and Townsend Bell leaned toward the view that the heavy crash involving Ryan Hunter-Reay, Simon Pagenaud and Sebastien Bourdais in Sunday's Grand Prix of Louisiana at NOLA Motorsports Park was a racing incident, IndyCar evidently disagreed. The sanctioning body has penalized Hunter-Reay for the incident (video of which follows below), among several other post-race infractions announced Wednesday resulting from the rain-soaked event:

    • INDYCAR officials have penalized driver Ryan Hunter-Reay of Andretti Autosport for violating Rule 9.3.3 (avoidable contact). Hunter-Reay was penalized three points in the drivers point standings and placed on probation for three races.
    • INDYCAR officials have penalized driver Francesco Dracone of Dale Coyne Racing for violating Rule 7.10.1.8 (contact with personnel). Dracone was fined $10,000 and placed on probation for six races.
    • INDYCAR officials fined driver Marco Andretti of Andretti Autosport $500 for violating Rule 1.6.5.1.1 (competition meeting: drivers told they would be fined for not keeping helmet visor down during pit stop).
    • INDYCAR officials fined crew member of Dale Coyne Racing $500 for violating Rule 1.2.7.2(f) (fueling without visor down).
    • INDYCAR officials fined crew member of Andretti Autosport $500 for violating Rule 7.9.6 (failure to attend tire during pit stop) and Rule 7.9.11 (equipment must remain in assigned pit).
    • INDYCAR officials fined crew member of KVSH Racing $500 for violating Rule 1.2.7.2(g) (over the wall without a helmet).

All the penalized parties may appeal the penalties.