Wednesday, January 21, 2009

JGR Says Suspended Crewchiefs Will Sit An Extra Week

There’s good news and bad news this week for suspended Joe Gibbs Racing crewchiefs Dave Rogers and Jason Ratcliff. The good news is that they could be reinstated by NASCAR in time to begin the 2009 season at Daytona.

The bad news? Even if they are reinstated, JGR will leave them at home.

The pair were among seven Joe Gibbs Racing crewmembers indefinitely suspended by NASCAR for installing illegal magnetic throttle stops prior to a post-race chassis dyno test at Michigan International Speedway last August. They applied for reinstatement last week, but JGR President J.D. Gibbs said yesterday that the team plans to impose an additional penalty.

“When NASCAR officially says…it’s over, we’ll hold them one more race,” said Gibbs. “(NASCAR) haven’t said what they’re going to do. Hopefully, they will say they’re reinstated for next year. (But) we’ll probably hold them from Daytona.”

The additional suspension would keep Rogers and Ratcliff on the sidelines until the second race of the season at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. NASCAR says there has been no decision made on their reinstatement.

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