Appeals panel overturns NASCAR penalty on Johnson's team

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) An appeals committee has overturned the penalty levied against Jimmie Johnson's team for receiving two consecutive written warnings.

The P1 penalty of last choice in pit selection for the next race was removed by the three-person panel that heard the Hendrick Motorsports appeal Tuesday.

The No. 48 team was warned at the All-Star Race for illegal modifications to the side skirt, and at the Coca-Cola 600 for needing too many attempts to pass prequalifying inspection.

The appeals ruled there was a ''preponderance of evidence presented that the side skirt violation . did occur.'' But it found there was ''conflicting evidence'' about the inspection violation.

Johnson's team has received at least four warnings this season, and failed prerace inspection three times Sunday at Pocono Raceway.