Kerr joined the team after serving as crew chief for JTG Daugherty Racing’s No. 47 team and drivers Bobby Labonte and Marcos Ambrose. Kerr also served as crew chief for Xxxtreme Motorsports’ No. 44 car, driven by David Reutimann at the end of last season.

Kerr and Gilliland worked together in the Nationwide Series in 2005.

Kerr said:

I’m looking forward to working with this young team. As an organization they’ve only been on track for a few short years, but there’s a lot of experience in the shop, in the leadership and behind the wheel. I’m looking forward to helping them continue to grow.

Lane joins FRR after stints at Petty Enterprises — now Richard Petty Motorsports — and Chip Ganassi Racing, which merged with Dale Earnhardt Inc to become Earnhardt Ganassi Racing.

Lane is returning to FRR, as he led the team’s first campaign in the Cup series in 2009, serving as crew chief for John Andretti. He also served as crew chief for Travis Kvapil in 2010, when he drove the No. 34 FRR machine.

Lane said:

This will definitely feel like a homecoming of sorts, back with Front Row and back with Ford. It was a great experience to help get Front Row’s first full-time Cup team off the ground back in 2009, and this will be a similar experience working with Josh as he expands his role with the team.

And, Jay Guy will return as crew chief for David Ragan and the No. 34 team.

Derrick Finley, who was crew chief for Gilliland since last October, will return to his role as competition director.

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The No. 44 No Label Watches Ford will be driven by David Reutimann, with Frank Kerr serving as the crew chief.

The No. 44 will attempt to enter the final two races of the Sprint Cup season, according to team owner John Cohen. The team plans to run the entire Cup season in 2013.

All three cars were found to be in violation of Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-J (any determination by NASCAR officials that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules detailed in Section 20 of the rule book, or has not been approved by NASCAR prior to the event); and 20-3.2.1A (unapproved modification to an approved windshield) of the 2011 NASCAR rule book.

Crew chiefs Rodney Childers (No. 00), Frank Kerr (No. 47) and Chad Johnston (No. 56) were each fined $50,000 and suspended for the next four Sprint Cup events. They were also suspended from NASCAR until Nov. 23rd.

Car chiefs Steve Channing (No. 00), Raymond Fox (No. 47) and Anthony Lunders (No. 56) also received the same suspensions. And, MWR director of competition, Bobby Kennedy, has been placed on probation until the end of the calendar year.

The car owners, Rob Kauffman (No. 00), Tad Geschickter (No. 47), and Michael Waltrip (No. 56), have each been penalized with the loss of 25 championship owner points. Drivers David Reutimann (No. 00), Bobby Labonte (No. 47), and Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56) have each been penalized with the loss of 25 championship driver points.

JTG Daugherty owner Brad Daugherty said:

We are very disappointed in this entire situation and we will not appeal NASCAR’s ruling. We look forward to racing at Martinsville Speedway this weekend and getting ready for next season.

Team chief race engineer Brian Burns will assume the role as crew chief for the No. 47 Toyota Camry replacing Kerr and Bob Bechstein has been named car chief replacing Fox following the penalties.

MWR also commented on the penalties:

Michael Waltrip Racing is ultra-sensitive and very serious about working within the guidelines of NASCAR policy. We do not condone this type of activity and as such we will take appropriate internal corrective action immediately. We thank NASCAR for providing a fair and equitable platform for all of its competitors and respect its decisions; therefore, we will not appeal.

Pat Tryson will take over for Johnston as crew chief for the no. 56 team. Tryson was recently replaced on that team earlier this year.

Allen Mincey, race mechanic of the No. 56, will serve as interim car chief for that team in place of Lunders.  Bobby Kennedy will serve as interim crew chief in place of Childers on the No. 00. Chris Hall, race mechanic with the No. 00 , will serve as interim car chief for that team in place of Channing.

The crew chiefs from the No. 13 (“Bootie” Barker) and No. 47 (Frank Kerr) have been fined $75,000 and placed on probation for the rest of the year for violating Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 20-2.3A (unapproved added weight); 20-7 (all engine cooling system components must be approved by NASCAR prior to being used in competition); and 20-7.3A (radiator mount; failure to submit components) of the Sprint Cup Series rule book.

Robert Germain, owner of the No. 13, and Tad Geschickter, owner of the No. 47, have each been penalized 50 champion owner’s points. And, drivers Papis and Ambrose have each been penalized 50 championship driver points.

Meanwhile, the crew chiefs of the No. 00 (Rodney Childers) and No. 56 (Pat Tryson) have each been fined $25,000 and placed on probation through the end of the year for violating Sections 12-1; 20-7; and 20-7.3A.   

The violations occurred in post-qualifying inspection before the Texas race.

NASCAR confiscated the lower radiator pans on the Nos. 13 and 47 because they were found that the pans were considered unapproved ballast weight mounting, which is a violation of Rule 20-2.3, added car weight. The steel piece taken from Papis’ car weighed 45.2 lbs, while Ambrose’s piece weighed 25.7 lbs.

Cal Wells, of Michael Waltrip Racing, said in a statement:

NASCAR indicated we were running a part, a radiator pan, which had not been officially submitted for approval. We accept NASCAR’s ruling and will not appeal because we cannot debate whether the part was submitted, only whether or not the part needed submission.

 Geschickter said:

While the penalty feels excessive for an apparent misunderstanding on submitting a part, we also understand NASCAR has to police the sport and rule strictly to keep a level playing field among the teams. We will work diligently to ensure that there are no misunderstandings in the future.

The penalties drops Ambrose from 26th to 28th in driver’s points while Papis falls from 37th to 38th.

As a result, several cars were pinned one or two laps down because the field was in the middle of green flag pit stops.

Watts was suspended for the remainder of the race.

On Tuesday, NASCAR added four races to the penatly under the rule that crewmembers must not go on the track for any reason while the cars are running under green, or red flag conditions unless directed by a NASCAR official.

Watts also received probation for the rest of the year.

Crew chief Frank Kerr has also been placed on probation until the end of the year under the NASCAR rule that states that a crew cheif assumes responsibility for actions of the team.

JTG Daughtery indicated that it will not appeal the suspension, and is looking to put the whole incident behind it.