CRA and SEAL Committee Issue Toledo Engine Decision, Launch Broader Engine Compliance Investigation

Following last Sunday’s event in Toledo, CRA and the SEAL Committee confiscated selected engines as part of their ongoing technical inspection and compliance efforts. The engines were transported to independent testing facility Robert Yates Racing Engines for dyno testing and detailed inspection.

During the inspection, one engine was found to contain a component that does not conform to the current SEAL engine build sheet. CRA and the SEAL Committee immediately began a deeper investigation to determine how and why the component was used before making any determination regarding penalties.

That investigation established that the engine builder had been specifically told in April of this year by a SEAL Committee member that the component in question was permitted.

The committee member did not have the authority to independently approve a deviation from the established SEAL build specifications, and that approval was never presented to or approved by the committee’s voting members.

However, the engine builder was not aware that the individual committee member lacked that authority. The builder reasonably believed the authorization was valid and built the engine based on direction provided by someone representing the SEAL Committee.

For that reason, CRA and the SEAL Committee have determined that neither the team nor the engine builder will receive a penalty in this instance.

CRA and the SEAL Committee believe it would be inappropriate to penalize a competitor or engine builder for relying in good faith on technical guidance they reasonably believed had been properly authorized by the committee.

This decision should not be interpreted as a relaxation of CRA or SEAL technical rules or enforcement standards. Had the team or engine builder knowingly used an unapproved component without authorization, the outcome would have been different.

The committee considers the unauthorized approval a serious breakdown in its technical governance process and has launched a broader investigation to determine whether the same or similar guidance was provided to other engine builders and how many engines nationwide may be affected.

That review includes communication with engine builders, examination of previous technical guidance, and a determination of what corrective measures are necessary. The SEAL Committee is also reviewing its internal approval procedures to ensure that no individual committee member can independently authorize deviations from the established build specifications in the future.

Marty Melo, CRA owner and Chair of the SEAL Committee, addressed both the decision regarding the team and the larger issue facing the committee.

“There are really two separate issues here,” Melo said. “The first is whether the race team and engine builder knowingly violated the rules. Based on everything we have found, they did not. They followed direction they believed came with the authority of the SEAL Committee, and we are not going to punish a competitor for a failure in our own internal process.”

“The second issue is the process that allowed this to happen, and that is something we are taking very seriously. We are determining how widespread this may be, who was given similar information, how many engines could be affected, and what steps are necessary to correct it. We intend to deal with the issue completely and transparently.”

Melo said the situation reinforces the importance of the changes already being made within the SEAL Committee.

“I knew going into the process of rebuilding the SEAL Committee that there were issues from the past that needed to be addressed. We have already made significant changes in transparency, accountability and how decisions are made, but this situation shows there is still work to do.”

“We are on the right path, but correcting long-standing practices and making sure everyone is operating under one clear and consistent process takes time. When we identify a problem, we are going to address it rather than ignore it.”

Melo also emphasized that the circumstances surrounding this engine should not create any doubt about future technical enforcement.

“I don’t want anyone in the racing community to misunderstand this decision. We are not saying that an engine can be outside the rules and there will be no consequences. Going forward, technical approvals must follow the established committee process, and the published rules will be enforced.”

“No individual committee member has the authority to create, modify or waive a technical rule on their own. If a car or engine is knowingly found to be outside the rules without legitimate authorization, it will be dealt with accordingly.”

“This particular situation is different because we have an engine builder who was specifically told by a committee representative that the part could be used, and the builder relied on that information. That should never have happened without the proper approval process, but it did. Punishing the builder or the team for relying on information they reasonably believed was legitimate would not be fair.”

The SEAL Committee member involved in providing the unauthorized approval is no longer a member of the committee.

CRA and the SEAL Committee are actively working to determine the full scope of the issue, including whether additional engine builders received similar authorization and how many engines could potentially be affected.

Once that review is complete, the committee will determine what additional technical, procedural or compliance actions are necessary to protect consistency and fairness throughout the SEAL engine program.

“Our responsibility is bigger than deciding what happens with one car or one engine,” Melo said. “We have to make sure every racer, every engine builder and every team is operating under the same set of rules and receiving the same information. That is what we are working toward, and we will take whatever steps are necessary to get there.”

CRA and the SEAL Committee will release additional information as the investigation and review continue.

-SEAL Committee Release