NASCAR has penalized both Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski for their roles in the wild finish at Gateway International Raceway last Saturday night!

photo credit: Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images

NASCAR placed both drivers on probation until December 31st. Edwards was also  penalized with the loss of 60 Nationwide Series championship (driver) points and fined $25,000. In addition, Edward’s car owner, Jack Roush was penalized with the loss of 60 series championship owner points.

Was it just a case of “hard racing” or did Edwards wreck race leader Brad Keselowski for the win?

Keselowski and Edwards lined up 1-2 for the final restart and as the green flag waved, they raced side-by-side, trading the lead back and forth until contact between the two sent Keselowski spinning.

Edwards: “I just couldn’t let him take the win from me. My guys work way too hard for that.”

Keselowski: “He turned left into me and wrecked me on purpose. I gave him the lane, and he still wrecked me.”

Edwards scored a series-leading third win at Gateway International Raceway and first of the season. Keselowski spun across the finish line as he was hit by oncoming traffic, finishing 14th, after having the dominant car through the race and leading a race-high 136 of 200 laps.

We know it’s not the first time the two have tangled. Edwards served a three race probation in March after wrecking Keselowski at the March Sprint Cup Series race at Atlanta.