All News Casey Mears Jamie McMurray Kyle Busch Larry Foyt Sterling Marlin Tony Stewart

#42 and #14 Car Seized by NASCAR; #14 Team Goes Home RESPONSE:

March 26, 2004 at 12:00 AM
  • NASCAR on Friday morning confiscated the #42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge driven by Jamie McMurray, when it failed to meet the X-measurement of the rear window. The violation is similar to those made by the teams of Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch last season, which resulted in NASCAR confiscating both cars. NASCAR spokesman Mize Zizzo said NASCAR will tow the No. 42 and No. 14 back to its research and development center in Concord, NC, for evaluation. And additional penalties will be forthcoming after the race weekend, Zizzo said. Following the inspection process, the car was placed alongside the NASCAR hauler and the team brought out a backup car. The backup car has never been run. “You definitely don’t bring your best aero car to Bristol, but the first time NASCAR checked the X-measurement – the same measurement they got Tony Stewart for and Kyle Busch – it showed to be too much,” said team manager Andy Graves. “Right now we’re trying to figure out what happened, if it was a mistake on our part or if a mistake made in measuring the first time. We’re going to have them measure it again.” Graves said the #41 and #40 Dodges, driven by Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Casey Mears and Sterling Marlin, respectively, both measured correctly. The X-measurement is taken diagonally from each the top corner of the rear window to the bottom corner of the opposite side. “It shows three-quarters (of an inch) more than any car we’ve ever had, so we’re kind of baffled by it,” Graves said.
    #14 Seized too: Larry Foyt’s #14 Dodge car failed to pass inspection a first time and his crew worked on the problem areas before returning to the inspection line. When the Dodge failed the final time, the car was seized by officials. The Foyt team had only a speedway car on hand as a backup, so they decided not to make a qualifying attempt for Sunday’s Food City 500.(ThatsRacin.com)
    AND The #42 Havoline Dodge was confiscated during the first inspection at Bristol Motor Speedway on Friday for being five-eighths of an inch off of the X-measurement. NASCAR uses the X-measurement — that gauges the length of the rear window from corner to corner to determine the off-set of the decklid to the roof. “The car was in line this morning and they just pulled it to the side,” says Ganassi team manager Andy Graves. “I don’t understand. We had to make updates, but the roofline and the decklid is the same as last year.” When driver Jamie McMurray arrived at the track Friday morning, he described the situation as “puzzling”. He added that it did not make sense to bring an illegal car to the track, especially at Bristol where little if any aerodynamic advantage can be gleaned. “We raced this car like seven times last year,” McMurray says. “So it’s a bit confusing.” Crew chief Donnie Wingo agreed that the situation was “confusing” since this was the primary short track car the team used last year. “I’m just frustrated,” Wingo says. “At least we have another good car in the trailer and we’ll have one sent from the shop this afternoon.”(FoxSports/Sporting News)(3-26-2004)
    #42 Team Response: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates has issued the following statement regarding NASCAR’s seizure of Jamie McMurray’s No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge during inspection Friday morning at Bristol Motor Speedway.
    “This is an unfortunate situation that happened today at Bristol with the 42 car,” Chip Ganassi said. “This is a short track car from last season that we put a new body on during the off season. If there was an error made in the body shop on our part, we will get it rectified. We look forward to working closely with NASCAR to make sure this issue is resolved in a timely manner.” As a result, McMurray and the Texaco/Havoline were forced to unload the backup car, chassis #214. McMurray finished 11th last year at Bristol in the spring race and finished third last August.(Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates PR)(3-26-2004)