NASCAR officials are changing the rules for rear shock absorbers after the cars of Hendrick Motorsports teammates #48-Jimmie Johnson and #5-Kyle Busch were initially too high after the race last week at Dover. “Everybody passed inspection and all of the shocks, in regard to parts and pieces, were completely legal,” Nextel Cup director John Darby said Friday at Talladega Superspeedway. “But the build of the shocks that the teams chose to use is a direction that we’re not real fond of.” Darby said both cars were initially too high, but sank back within the required specifications as the shocks bled out air over a period of about 30 seconds. “We hold a lot of responsibility for policing the sport, but, at the same time, we have to give the competitors the benefit of the doubt if we can, so that’s why that process is repeated,” Darby said. “Honestly, another reason it’s repeated is so we’re sure of what we’re seeing, not something goofy, not a mistake.” No penalties were handed down, but Darby said a technical bulletin precluding the type of shock absorber used at Dover by race winner Johnson and runner-up Busch will be issued to the Cup crew chiefs sometime this weekend. There was no rush to get the bulletin out because NASCAR hands out its own shocks and rear springs to the teams at Talladega and Daytona International Speedway, the only tracks where carburetor restrictor plates are used to slow the cars.(ESPN.com/AP)(10-1-2005)
UPDATE: NASCAR last weekend issued a bulletin tightening gas pressure restrictions on rear shocks for Nextel Cup cars. That was in response to a tactic used at Dover by Hendrick teammates Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch, who finished 1-2 in the race. Their shocks in conjunction with a softer spring setup were built to work in reverse by lifting the rear end of the car up while traveling over bumps to create more rear downforce and allow faster lap speeds and more grip in the corners.(Sporting News)(10-3-2005)
