NASCAR: Keselowski - NASCAR needs 'thicker skin'

Brad Keselowski said he was surprised by what unfolded once Bubba Wallace pressed send on a critical tweet directed at NASCAR last weekend at Daytona International Speedway, including how the sanctioning body chose to respond a few days later.

Wallace was penalized a position on the track near the end of the Xfinity race last Friday for not maintaining reasonable speed under caution. He had slowed to try and save fuel in order to make the finish. Making matters worse, he was involved in a last-lap crash that further soured his night.

A few minutes after the race, the 22-year-old Roush Fenway Racing prospect posted this tweet: 

He was fined $15,000 by NASCAR on Wednesday under rule book sections pertaining to disciplinary action and NASCAR member conduct.

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"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 release, NASCAR cited a violation of sections 12.1, 12.8 a 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.

Tony Stewart was fined $35,000 in April when he said NASCAR was putting drivers at risk by not mandating teams secure all five lug nits to a wheel before a car leaves pit road. NASCAR modified its policy just a few days later, forcing teams to secure every nut, but the Stewart penalty was not rescinded.