Impounding the #20 Home Depot Chevrolet of Tony Stewart last weekend at TMS was a first for NASCAR, but officials have good reasons for wanting to take a closer look at the car. The slant of the rear window was three-quarters of an inch off allowable measurements, but the car fit all the templates. That put quite a scare into NASCAR inspectors, who couldn’t believe the window could be that far out of line and still fit the new templates. It took an X-measurement with a tape measure across the window (a new measurement this season) to prove the violation. NASCAR officials want to determine if another template is needed. They also want to make sure teams haven’t found other ways to get around the 32 template measurements. Raymond Fox, crew chief for the No. 38 M&Ms Ford of Elliott Sadler, said NASCAR’s action got everyone’s attention. “It opens up your eyes,” Fox said. “You go back to the shop and say, ‘OK, this is what happened last week. Let’s not let it happen to us.’ “( Dallas Morning News – may need to register to view), for past news see my #20 Team News and Links page , NO NEWS on any actions by NASCAR….yet.(4-3-2003) UPDATE: Jim Hunter, NASCAR’s Vice President of Corporate Communications, said on Friday that the Joe Gibb’s #20 car, confiscated at Texas last week, is being measured at the R&D shop by lasers and no determination has been made what will be done with the car or what penalties might be imposed. “I can say that the car probably won’t be returned to the team, at least not in it’s current configuration,” said Hunter, “We’ll more than likely take it to the wind tunnel to see if it has an aerodynamic advantage.”( Insider Racing News ) and on an interview with Claire B. Lang of ( XM Satellite- NASCAR Radio (Subscription Required), Hunter said not to expect any penalties/decisions to be handed down before the race at Talladega, especially if it goes to the wind tunnel. It could be weeks before anything is announced. AND “There really is no timeline on the process on the 20 car.” That from NASCAR’s Vice President of Corporate Communications Jim Hunter who said here at Talladega Tony Stewart’s Home Depot Chevrolet which was confiscated at Texas is undergoing computer testing to simulate the exact measurements of the car at NASCAR’s Research and Developement Center in Mooresville, North Carolina…and it may be taken to a wind tunnel for further scrutiny. As for any penalties against the team Hunter says “there are all sorts of options”, however he doesn’t know if a decision will be made within several weeks or a month. NASCAR also must determine when and if the car will be returned to the team. Hunter said one possiblity is that it could be “sectioned” and the legal pieces given back to Joe Gibbs Racing. However, he says there is no rush because the car doesn’t have to be anywhere.( PRN’s Garage Pass – will be aired later today)(4-4-2003)
