Buccialia’s iSS Daytona Win Reinstated

It was announced late Thursday evening in a press briefing at the virtual Talladega Superspeedway Media Center, site of this week’s iSuperSpeedway.com Racing Series event, that the iSS Appeals Board had come to a conclusion. Based on a decision was reached by a review of race replay footage by the appeals committee, in response to appeals from both the #94 team, and the #14 team, the finishing order, that was modified two times while in Daytona, has yet again been changed.

Initially, it was the #94 of Frank Buccialia who crossed the line in the first position, in front of the #14 of Robby Roy, followed by the #20 of Matt Bontempi. Bontempi, who had exited corner 4 on the final lap of the race in the lead, appeared to be hit by the #94 into the tri-oval, and subsequently sent into the grass, falling to p3 before he crossed the line. Based on a swift decision by iSS race officials, the #94 was penalized for avoidable contact that he was the beneficiary of, and was given a penalty that would take him out of the lead, giving the win to Robby Roy, who had crossed the line p2, and leaving Bontempi with a 2nd place.

However, it was later determined by an extensive review of the race finish the Saturday following the race, something that is practiced at all iSuperSpeedway.com sanctioned events, that the #14 of Roy, who was given the win, also initiated contact leading to an incident on the white flag lap. Because of the same standard the #94 of Buccialia was held to leading to that teams penalty, the #14 was therefore also penalized, forfeiting the race win.

This result, which was reached now on Sunday, May 3rd, 2 days after the race, gave the win to the driver many felt deserved it, the #20 of Matt Bontempi. This gave the #20 team a win, which in the iSuperSpeedway.com Racing Series, similar to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, a locked in position into the championship chase that begins later in the season.

It was announced the day following the announcement of the new finishing order from ISS Officials, that both the #94 of Frank Buccialia, and the #14 of Robby Roy’s teams would exercise their right to appeal the decision made by iSS President Rodd Flagg. The next step in this process would then mean 2 randomly selected drivers that are considered board members, would review the tape, and decide to withhold or overrule the penalties handed to both teams. This meant that there was a possibility all penalties would sustained and the win handed to Bontempi would hold, the penalty to Roy would be overturned, while the penalty to Buccialia would be held, and the #14 would win, or both penalties would be overturned, and Buccialia would take the win. Well, that last possibility was exactly what happened.

It was official announced late Thursday in the Media Center of the Talladega Superspeedway, on the eve of one of the series biggest events, the ‘Stars Fell on Alabama 250″, which is the second of four endurance event on the season, that the Appeals Board favored both appeals from the #14, and the #94 teams. This means that because both appeals won, citing the probability of net code having played a major factor in both incidents, means the newly revised finishing order will be that in which all cars crossed the line originally. This strips Bontempi’s team of the win, and related chase birth, and gives it to Frank Buccialia’s #94 crew.

Frank Buccialia is a seasoned iSuperSpeedway.com Racing Series veteran. Frank won the inaugural championship in the first season under the iSS banner, and now will be guaranteed a shot to try to become the first multi time champion gunning for the season 4 title later on this year. It was midway through last season, that Buccialia, who had stepped out of the race car to assume LIVE admin duties, decided to return to competition after the All Star Break. This win will guarantee the team a spot in the chase, which is good news for them after they missed a start earlier on in the year putting them in a tough spot to try to get a top 5 in points, which is the only way to qualify for the iSuperChase without a win.

The series continues on tonight (Friday, May 8th) from Talladega, for the Stars Fell on Alabama 250 for the second of four endurance events on the schedule. The endurance events, unlike the Feature races that consist of heat styled qualifying through a B-Main LCQ and a A-Main event, are races of an extended length, more similar to regular NASCAR formatted races. The Stars Fell on Alabama goes GREEN at 10:00pm EST, 7:00pm PST on LSRTV.

For more information on the iSuperSpeedway.com Racing Series, visit isuperspeedway.com and for more information on upcoming LSRTV broadcasts, visit livesimracing.com, or through Facebook at facebook.com/livesimracingtv.

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