NASCAR's Chase controversy: Is there more drama to come?

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Red Bull Formula One driver Mark Webber (R) of Australia takes a photograph next to Ferrari Formula One driver Felipe Massa of Brazil before a news conference ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix. (PAULO WHITAKER / REUTERS)

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Red Bull Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany kisses his trophy after winning the Austin F1 Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin Nov. 17, 2013. Red Bull Formula One driver Mark Webber of Australia came in second and Lotus Formula One driver Romain Grosjean of France third. (ADREES LATIF / REUTERS)

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Lotus Formula One driver Heikki Kovalainen of Finland drives during the first practice session of the Austin F1 Grand Prix at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin. (MIKE STONE / REUTERS)

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Red Bull Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany gestures as he celebrates with the Red Bull team after winning the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix at the Yas Marina circuit on Yas Island. (STEVE CRISP / REUTERS)

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A delegate photographs the Formula E car on display in London. The car was on display for the official presentation of the Formula E and EY Value & Sustainability Report, which aimed to highlight the benefits of the new global electric car series. (LUKE MACGREGOR / REUTERS)

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Race winner Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Infiniti Red Bull Racing celebrates with second placed Mark Webber of Australia and Infiniti Red Bull Racing following the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit on Nov. 3 in Abu Dhabi. (Paul Gilham / Getty Images)

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Sebastian Vettel of Germany and Infiniti Red Bull Racing signs autographs for fans during previews for the Indian Formula One Grand Prix at Buddh International Circuit in Noida, India. (Mark Thompson / Getty Images)

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Indian designer Mendira Wirk poses with models sporting Formula One paddock outfits during a promotional event at Hauz Khas village in New Delhi. (Sajjad Hussain / AFP/Getty Images)

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Red Bull Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel (front L) of Germany signs autographs for a boy at the Suzuka circuit, ahead of the Japanese F1 Grand Prix. (Toru Hanai / REUTERS)

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Red Bull Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel poses with Nissan Motor’s NV200 Taxi, New York city’s next-generation yellow cab, during its pre-launch event at the Matsuya Ginza department store in Tokyo on Oct. 9. (Toru Hanai/Reuters)

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Dario Franchitti, driver of the #10 Target Chip Ganassi Racing Honda Dallara looks on from pit lane prior to practice. (Chris Trotman / Getty Images)

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Red Bull Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel (C) of Germany poses after a fan gave him a present at his team garage before the Korean F1 Grand Prix at the Korea International Circuit. (LEE JAE-WON / REUTERS)

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Ferrari Formula One driver Felipe Massa of Brazil is reflected in his rear vision mirror in the team’s garage during the second practice session of the Singapore F1 Grand Prix in Singapore. (PABLO SANCHEZ / REUTERS)

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Ferrari Formula One crew practice a pit stop with Fernando Alonso’s car ahead of the Singapore F1 Grand Prix September 18, 2013. (TIM CHONG / REUTERS)

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Porsche CEO Matthias Mueller (L) presents the new Porsche 918 Spyder hybrid car with rally and auto racing driver Valter Roehal during a media preview day at the Frankfurt Motor Show September 10, 2013. The world’s biggest auto show will open to the public September 14-22. (WOLFGANG RATTAY / REUTERS)

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An aerial view shows the main grand stand and the Formula One pit building behind the Singapore Flyer observation wheel at dusk September 11, 2013. The Singapore F1 night race will take place on September 22 at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. (EDGAR SU / REUTERS)

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Mercedes Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain plays with his pet dog Roscoe in the paddock Formula One racetrack in Monza September 5, 2013. Italy’s Formula One Grand Prix will take place on September 8, 2013. (STEFANO RELLANDINI / Reuters)

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David Coulthard, British former Formula One racing driver, sits behind the wheel of a 1955 Pontiac convertible car during the annual classic car exhibition in Havana August 18, 2013. (DESMOND BOYLAN / REUTERS)

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Ryan Newman, driver of the #39 Quicken Loans/The Smurfs Chevrolet, poses for a photo after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Samuel Deeds 400 At The Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 28, 2013 in Indianapolis, Ind. (Chris Trotman/Getty Images)

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Greg Biffle, driver of the #16 3M/Give Kids a Smile Ford, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway on June 16, 2013 in Brooklyn, Michigan. (Will Schneekloth/Getty Images)

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KV Racing Technology driver Tony Kanaan of Brazil kisses his wife Lauren after winning the 97th running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana, May 26, 2013. (Jeff Haynes/Reuters)

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KV Racing Technology driver Tony Kanaan of Brazil takes the traditional drink of milk after winning the 97th running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana, May 26, 2013. (Jeff Haynes/Reuters)

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KV Racing Technology driver Tony Kanaan of Brazil celebrates after winning the 97th running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana, May 26, 2013. (Jeff Haynes/Reuters)

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Security goes through the bags of race fans before the 97th running of the Indianapolis 500 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana May 26, 2013. (Matt Sullivan/Reuters)

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Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe’s Patriotic Chevrolet, celebrates with his wife Chandra after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series All-Star race at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 18, 2013 in Concord, North Carolina. (John Harrelson/NASCAR via Getty Images)

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Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 The Home Depot / Husky Toyota, and David Ragan, driver of the #34 Peanut Patch Boiled Peanuts Ford, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on May 11, 2013 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

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Crew chief Chad Knaus (L), celebrates in Victory Lane with driver Jimmie Johnson’s daughter Genevieve Johnson after the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series STP Gas Booster 500 on April 7, 2013 at Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia. (Rainier Ehrhardt/NASCAR via Getty Images)

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Anthony Anders of Easley, South Carolina, celebrates his win at the Myrtle Beach Speedway during The Myrtle Beach 400 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, March 22, 2013. With higher levels of racing technology seeping down to the lower levels of stock car racing, weekend warrior drivers and crews are finding it hard to compete with the large amount of money needed to operate a competitive car in the lower NASCAR circuits. At four levels below the highest level of NASCAR, most drivers at the Myrtle Beach Speedway compete in the Whelen All-American Series of NASCAR. Picture taken March 22, 2013. REUTERS/Randall Hill (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT MOTORSPORT SOCIETY) (RANDALL HILL / REUTERS)

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Clint Bowyer slides through the grass during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway on March 24. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

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Red Bull Formula One driver Vettel, flanked by Ferrari Formula One drivers Massa and Alonso, pose after the qualifying session for the Malaysian F1 Grand Prix. (Tim Chong/Reuters)

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Kasey Kahne drives his #5 Great Clips Chevrolet to a win at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Food City 500 on March 17. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

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Red Bull Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany celebrates winning the world championship after finishing sixth in the Brazilian F1 Grand Prix. (Paulo Whitaker/Reuters)

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Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, signs his autograph for a fan prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Good Sam Roadside Assistance 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on Oct. 7 in Talladega, Ala. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

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Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 National Guard/Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet stands in the garage during testing for the new track surface at Pocono Raceway on June 7, 2012 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images for NASCAR)

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Williams Formula One driver Pastor Maldonado of Venezuela looks on during a news conference during the Monaco F1 Grand Prix May 23, 2012. (Max Rossi/Reuters)

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The Rock (Ranier Ehrhardt/Getty Images)

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Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR)

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Brian France, chairman and CEO of NASCAR, speaks at the NASCAR Hall of Fame during the NASCAR Media Tour in Charlotte, North Carolina January 26, 2012. (Chris Keane/Reuters)

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IndyCar drivers Helio Castroneves, Alex Tagliani and Ryan Briscoe hold the Dan Wheldon Memorial Trophy during a tribute to the driver during the V8 Supercars Gold Coast 600 at the Gold Coast Street Circuit on the Gold Coast, Australia. (Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

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Dan Wheldon and his family (Jeff Haynes/Reuters)

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Crash the killed Dan Wheldon (Barry Ambrose/Reuters)

By Jim Peltz

Sept. 12, 2013 11:54 AM PT

The cloud of controversy hanging over the start of NASCAR’s Chase for the Cup title playoff continues to linger.

Three days after NASCAR slammed Michael Waltrip Racing with massive penalties for allegedly cheating at Saturday’s race at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway to help an MWR driver get in the Chase, another issue surfaced from that race involving Chase contender Joey Logano.

Associated Press and some other media outlets suggested that the teams of Logano and David Gilliland might have conspired to let Logano pass Gilliland near the end of the race to ensure Logano would make the Chase.

The Richmond race was the last race to determine which 12 drivers qualified for the 10-race Chase that starts Sunday at Chicagoland Speedway.

Logano drives for Penske Racing, and Gilliland, who did not make the Chase, drives for the small team of Front Row Motorsports. But both drive Fords.

NASCAR issued a statement Wednesday saying it was aware of the reports “and is looking into it, but has yet to see anything in full context that requires any action.”

Seemingly that was the end of the story. Except it wasn’t.

NASCAR issued another statement Thursday morning saying it “is continuing to gather all the facts” from the Richmond race and would not comment further “until all the facts have been examined.”

That doesn’t mean more penalties are coming. But the statement clearly indicated that NASCAR was not done investigating whether there was additional wrongdoing.

Penske Racing President Tim Cindric said there wasn’t. Cindric told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that “there’s no conspiracy, there’s no bribe” in the Logano situation and that team owner “Roger Penske is not involved in trying to manipulate the outcome of a race.”

The penalties against Waltrip’s team resulted in the unprecedented step of removing MWR driver Martin Truex Jr. from the Chase field and replacing him with Ryan Newman, who drives for Stewart-Haas Racing.

All of this was happening as the Chase contenders arrived in Chicago for media day to kick off the championship playoff. Stay tuned.

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