Perhaps you noticed last weeks race winner Jeff Gordon having difficulty completing a proper burnout after winning last weeks race. You might have also noticed Gordon was able to run through Atlanta Motor Speedways corners so high that he was kicking up dirt and dust, but never pulled the cars rear end into the wall. If so, you were not alone as a vast number of those who toil in the Winston Cup garage noticed these things as well, including NASCAR officials. According to NASCAR PR staff, Gordons car was torn down, inspected with a fine toothed comb and special attention paid to the ignition system. NASCAR officials did take the rear end from Gordons car into the Conover, N.C., R&D center, where the unit, away from the prying eyes of the competitors, was cleared later in the week. This confiscation was not widely publicized within the industry, but few were surprised when they did hear the news. One driver simply said of the impounded piece, It doesnt surprise me. I was running as hard as I could and I certainly couldnt pull half the moves that [Gordon] was. Nope. It doesnt surprise me, that they took it and that they didnt find anything wrong.( Ford Racing )(11-2-2003)
