Two IndyCar teams face grid penalty at Houston

IZOD IndyCar Series officials have penalized the No. 10 car of Target Chip Ganassi Racing and No. 15 car of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing 10 grid spots each for unapproved engine changes prior to the doubleheader event at Houston's Reliant Park.

Both cars failed to comply with rules 15.1.4 and 15.5.1.

15.1.4. Each Full-Season Entrant may use no more than five fresh built Engines from the first Open Test until the end of the Race season. Using more than five fresh Engines in this period will result in a penalty. Engines beyond the fifth fresh Engine may be fresh or part-used.

15.5.1. The minimum mileage threshold ("Change-Out Mileage") is 2,000 miles.

The No. 20 entry of Ed Carpenter Racing will utilize a fresh engine this weekend but is not subject to penalty under Rule 15.5.5, which allows for a penalty-free engine change when it's brought on by circumstances beyond the control of the team and manufacturer. The team's car and engine suffered smoke damage in a transporter fire coming back from a test at Auto Club Speedway on Sept. 25.

15.5.5. An Engine that has experienced a problem deemed sufficient to require change-out as mutually agreed by INDYCAR and Engine Manufacturer that is beyond the reasonable control of either the Entrant or Engine Manufacturer (such as faulty fuel, damage to the Engines caused by act of God, etc.) may be replaced with an Engine from the pool without penalty.

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