Appeals panel reduces penalty against Circle Sport Racing

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - An appeals panel has reduced the penalty levied against Circle Sport Racing car owner Joe Falk and crew chief Slugger Labbe.

The three-person National Motorsports Appeals Panel reduced Falk's penalty from a loss of 25 points to 10, and Labbe's original $50,000 fine was cut to $20,000. Labbe's three-race suspension was upheld; the crew chief already has missed two races under the punishment.

The decision was announced on Tuesday.

The team was given a P4 penalty for an illegal rear truck trailing arm on Brian Scott's car at California last month. The panel reduced the penalty to a P2 infraction and said that some of the broken rules initially cited in the penalty ''are subject to interpretation.''