The primary cars of #66-Scott Riggs and #70-Johnny Sauter of Haas CNC Racing were impounded by NASCAR when it was discovered the rear wing mounts were illegal prior to Saturday’s Sprint Cup practice. Both teams will be allowed to use backup cars and start in the back of the field in Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600. Both teams also face further punishment by NASCAR. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was docked 100 championship points and crew chief Tony Eury Jr. fined $100,000 and suspended for six races last season for toying with the rear wing. Riggs had qualified 13th and Sauter last. NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said the violation was discovered after it was brought to the governing body’s attention there might be a problem with the location of the upper wing mounting points. Inspections are not a normal part of the pre-practice routine on Saturday. “The garage I would say is a fairly self-policing area,” Tharp said. “We follow up on information we get.”(ESPN.com)(5-24-2008) UPDATE Penalties announced: NASCAR has issued penalties, fines and suspensions to the #66 and #70 teams in the Sprint Cup Series. The #66 car driven by Scott Riggs and the #70 car driven by Johnny Sauter were found to be in violation of Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 20-3.1.3A (wing mounting locations were not as specified by the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rule book). The infractions were discovered May 24 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. As a result, Riggs and #66 car owner Joe Custer have been penalized 150 championship driver and 150 championship owner points, respectively, as have Sauter and #70 car owner Margaret Haas. Both the crew chiefs and the car chiefs for the two cars – Bootie Barker and Derick Jennings for the #66 and Dave Skog and Thomas Harris for the #70 – have been suspended from the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events, suspended from NASCAR until July 9 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31. Additionally, Barker and Skog have each been fined $100,000 apiece. The penalty also includes NASCAR’s confiscation of team 66 Serial Number HMS 12 06 415 race car and team 70 Serial Number HMS 04 08 507 race car.(NASCAR PR)(5-28-2008) OWNERS POINTS: For the REVISED owner points standings, see my Drivers/Owners Points Standings page, #70 Haas CNC Racing is now 43rd in owners points, 346 points behind 35th in owners points and would miss the race at Dover if qualifying is cancelled. The #66 Haas CNC racing team drops from 26th in owners pts to 34th, only 5 points above the team in 36th.
