Crew chiefs Rodney Childers (#00), Frank Kerr (#47) and Chad Johnston (#56) have each been fined $50,000 and have been suspended from the next four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship events and suspended from NASCAR until Nov. 23. Car chiefs Steve Channing (#00), Raymond Fox (#47) and Anthony Lunders (#56) have also been suspended from the next four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship events and suspended from NASCAR until Nov. 23. Additionally, Bobby Kennedy, director of competition for Michael Waltrip Racing, has been placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31.
Car owners Rob Kauffman (#00), Tad Geschickter (#47), and Michael Waltrip (#56) have each been penalized with the loss of 25 championship owner points. Drivers David Reutimann, Bobby Labonte and Martin Truex Jr. have each been penalized with the loss of 25 championship driver points.
Michael Waltrip Racing has issued a response to the penalties, saying the team, "is ultra-sensitive and very serious about working within the guidelines of NASCAR policy. We do not condone this type of activity and as such we will take appropriate internal corrective action immediately. We thank NASCAR for providing a fair and equitable platform for all of its competitors and respect its decisions; therefore, we will not appeal.”
MWR said #56 crew chief Pat Tryson will serve as interim crew chief in place of suspended crew chief Chad Johnston at Martinsville, with mechanic Allen Mincey serving as interim car chief. On the #00 team, Bobby Kennedy will serve as interim crew chief in place of Childers, with Chris Hall as interim car chief.
Both crew and car chiefs will return to their positions following their suspensions.
Why do the drivers get penalized when the infractions were found during the inspection? As I understand it they didn't even drive the vehicles before the problems were found.
ReplyDeleteDon't pull the tail of the tiger unless you want bad things to happen.
ReplyDeleteDrivers get penalized because driver championship points are the only thing that really matters in NASCAR. If drivers never got penalized, a team could win the championship by being illegal every week.
ReplyDeleteIs this an unapproved part as jgr had at Michigan if so why the double standard. Or was this an illegal part?
ReplyDeleteUnbelievable!! I guess different penalties are for people that not named Earnhardt.
ReplyDeleteEarnhardt's Windshield too thin UPDATE 2 Penalty: NASCAR officials confiscated the windshield from Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s #8 Budweiser Chevy over the weekend. According to spokesman Mike Zizzo, the windshield was too thin and not approved. A penalty is likely, but to what extent will be determined by Nextel Cup series director John Darby, Zizzo said. The penalty should be announced this week.(ThatsRacin.com)(11-7-2004)
UPDATE: the windshield was NOT run in the race, it was taken 'over the weekend'. Minimum thickness is 1/4".(11-9-2004)
UPDATE 2: Tony Eury Sr., crew chief for the #8 Chevrolet of driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., was fined $2,500 for violating Section 12-4-A (Actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 12-4-Q (Any determination by NASCAR Officials that the car, car parts, components and/or equipment used in the Event do not conform to NASCAR rules) for having a windshield on the car that was not an approved part and also did not meet the minimum required thickness of one-quarter inch. The infraction was discovered by NASCAR officials during opening-day inspection.(NASCAR PR)(11-10-2004)
Correct, Mr. Moody. They knew what they were doing -- they just didn't think they'd get caught.
ReplyDeleteMr. Anonymous (a/k/a Earnhardt hater): A lot of water has washed under the bridge since 2004!!! So why hash that out now! Times, teams and rules have changed tremendously since then!
ReplyDeleteThat is ridiculous!! Talk about extreme. It was a windshield and unless it had magic pixie dust I am sure they would not have improved there advantage as much as the penalty has disadvantaged them.
ReplyDeletePat tryson comback?
ReplyDeleteI'm not a hater of Earnhardt. I think the penalties for the same infractions, even though it's been 8 yrs, are extreme. 2500 vs suspension, 50,000 x3, and docked owner and driver pts? You don't think that is extreme? These penalties have gotten ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteIt's inflation and weakness of the dollar vs euro. :-)
ReplyDeleteFines would probably have been less severe if the infractions were outside of the Chase. Those racing in the Chase have worked hard and accomplished a great deal. They should have a fair change to gain points and win the Chase without somone outside the chase keeping them from accomplishing that by cheating.
ReplyDeleteWhy does everything under the sun have to be about Earnhardt? The penalty in question was from 2004, BEFORE the advent of the new car and BEFORE NASCAR warned the teams that any tampering with the bodies on this new car would be dealt with severely.
ReplyDeleteAnd jra8402, this was an illegally modified part, not an unapproved part.
ReplyDeleteMWR were caught with the jetfuel right out of the gate. When they cheat...they go full throttle. And Nancy, the Windshield would dramatically affect the aerodynamics on a track like Dega.
ReplyDeletetap tap tap tap....
ReplyDeleteWaiting for the next fireball to get lobbed over the wall LOL
Every race team works in the gray area, mwr just sucks at it. @badream
ReplyDeletewho ya gonna believe, mean,cold Nascar or that sweet, cherubic Mickey?
ReplyDelete