INDIANAPOLIS – United States Auto Club officials confirmed the sanctioning body’s second tire doping-related penalty in a month’s time on Saturday morning, this time pertaining to one of its star drivers.

C.J. Leary, the 2019 AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car Series champion, has been suspended and fined by USAC for a violation of Section 309 of the USAC Rule Book, pertaining to tires, which states that any solvents or chemicals applied to the tire that alter the chemical makeup of the compound or have the effect of altering tire durometer or construction are prohibited.

Entrant Leary Racing has also been fined and penalized according to the rule book.

Leary has forfeited all points and winnings earned from the event, has been fined $2,500 by USAC, and both driver and team have been suspended from USAC competition for six races.

The rules infraction occurred during the James Dean Classic/Indiana Donor Network Driven2SaveLives Double Double feature at Gas City (Ind.) I-69 Speedway on Sept. 25.

Leary, who was initially credited with the victory, has been disqualified from the event.

Justin Grant, who originally finished in the runner-up position that night, has been credited with the feature victory.

The test, verified by laboratory findings, revealed that Leary’s tire had been altered, and thus was not in accordance with the series rule book. It also did not conform to the benchmark provided by Hoosier Tire Company.

As a super license driver, Leary’s first eligible race in USAC competition will be Saturday, Nov. 21. Entrant Leary Racing’s USAC eligibility resumes with the seventh USAC National Sprint Car Series event of the 2021 season.

Winnings and points will be adjusted accordingly to reflect the change in the final results of the Double Double main event at Gas City.

Leary’s Gas City DQ follows a similar penalty handed down to Kendall Ruble on Oct. 1 for a tire violation from the Haubstadt Hustler at Tri-State Speedway in September.

After getting the word that he’d inherited the Gas City win, Justin Grant took to Twitter to respond to the good news for his TOPP Motorsports team.

https://t.co/3f0jwrnvXo pic.twitter.com/Jy8FSnirce

— Justin Grant (@JustinGrant40) October 17, 2020