Expect Harvick and R Gordon to be fined and penalized UPDATE penalties announced: #31-Robby Gordon and #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. were called to the NASCAR hauler to meet with series officials following Sunday’ Food City 500 at Bristol. The two traded bumps several times during the race, and after the race ended, Gordon drove his No. 31 Chevrolet into the back of Earnhardt Jr.’ car on pit road, turning it around. NASCAR officials said they planned to review the incident and that Gordon would likely be penalized in a similar fashion to Tony Stewart, who was fined $10,000 last year for spinning Jeff Gordon on pit road. After the pit road incident, Robby Gordon drove to the garage area, while Earnhardt Jr. stopped on pit road for media interviews, as is common for drivers who finish in the top five (Earnhardt Jr. was fourth). As Earnhardt Jr. was getting out of his car, Mike Scearce, the jack man for Gordon’ team, ran up to Earnhardt Jr.’ car and Scearce and members of Earnhardt Jr.’ team exchanged obscenities before they were separated.(ThatsRacin.com) AND Kevin Harvick likely faces a large fine and probation for his actions on pit road following Saturday’ Channellock 250 BGTN race at Bristol. Greg Biffle hit Harvick’ car exiting Turn 4 on Lap 240, sending Harvick into the wall. Harvick waited in a pit stall on the frontstretch until the race was over and when Biffle brought his #60 Ford on pit road, Harvick charged after him and the two locked arms for nearly a minute before they were separated(actually jumped on and over Biffle’s car). Saturday afternoon, Harvick, his crew chief, Kevin Hamlin, and car owner, Richard Childress, all met with NASCAR officials. Childress met with NASCAR President Mike Helton again early Sunday morning, and Childress, Harvick and Helton met again for 25 minutes later Sunday morning. Harvick had to cancel an appearance in the hospitality village Sunday morning because of his meeting with Helton. Helton said penalties against Harvick will be issued this week, perhaps as early as Monday. I think the issue we have to deal with, is how disruptive Harvick’ actions were and how detrimental his actions were to the overall scheme of things, Helton said. Childress agreed that NASCAR had to take some action. Not only was Harvick frustrated with having his car wrecked, but he was shaken by the wreck itself. It was a tough hit, Childress said. He couldnt walk hardly last night. He’ really hurting today.(ThatsRacin.com)(3-25-2002) UPDATE: NASCAR officials announced today they have penalized NASCAR Winston Cup Series drivers Robby Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr., for intentionally running into each other’s car during the cool-down lap of the Food City 500 at the Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, TN. Gordon, driver of the #31 NASCAR Winston Cup Series team, was fined $10,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until Aug. 28th. Earnhardt Jr. was fined $5,000. Both drivers were penalized under Section 12-4-A in the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup Series rule book: “actions deemed by NASCAR Officials as detrimental to stock car racing.” A penalty was also levied against driver Kevin Harvick for his actions in the pits following Saturday’s Channellock 250 NASCAR Busch Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Harvick, driver of the #29 NASCAR Busch Series team, was fined $15,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until Aug. 28th. He was penalized under Section 12-4-A in the 2002 NASCAR Busch Series rule book: “actions deemed by NASCAR Officials as detrimental to stock car racing.”(NASCAR PR)(3-25-2002)
