NEXTEL CUP PENALTIES 2006

  • #10 crew member/Harvick scuffle UPDATE 3: reported on Speed Channel’s SPEED Report by Bob Dillner, per FoxSports.com:
    Emotions definitely flowed over to the postrace activities as the guys walked to the garage area. After the Dickies 500, the #10 and the #29 teams were coming down the entrance way to the garage area where all of the teams bring their pit boxes. There was an altercation between the #10 team and Kevin and DeLana Harvick. Apparently, Kevin and DeLana both got knocked down. NASCAR’s Jim Hunter told me they are investigating the situation wholeheartedly and expects that there will be fined and penalties either Tuesday or Wednesday. “After the fact, right out of the moment, everybody’s pretty hot-headed (and) got to running their mouth a little bit,” Richard Childress Racing Director Mike Dillion said. “That’s about all it was. Somebody got shoved, and they’re sorting it out now. But they shoved Kevin and his wife down in front of the pit box is what was bad. Everybody out here has done it in their racing career at some point in time. It’s just unfortunate. The guys need to let the drivers handle it. One of the NASCAR officials got hurt trying to stop the box,” Dillion continued. “That’s pretty bad, too. Hurt his ankle so they took him to the infield care center.” A lot of people were called to the NASCAR trailer after this race, including Rodney Childers, the crew chief for Scott Riggs and the #10 team. He’s responsible for the actions of everybody. DeLana and Kevin Harvick were both brought in as well. Several eyewitnesses were brought in. In fact, Roger Penske was up there talking to NASCAR President Mike Helton and Nextel Cup Series Director John Darby and everybody that was looking at the incident.(11-5-2006)
    UPDATE: been told the #10 Crew Member has been suspended for the rest of the season.(11-7-2006)
    UPDATE 2: Sirius Speedway has learned that NASCAR will announce later today that it has indefinitely suspended Craig “C.C.” Curione, the front tire carrier for Scott Riggs’ #10 Dodge, for his role in a postrace altercation Sunday night at Texas Motor Speedway. Curione was identified as the member of Riggs’ Evernham Motorsports crew who shoved Kevin Harvick from behind while he and his wife, DeLana, were walking to the infield media center following the Dickies 500. The Harvicks and NASCAR official John Sacco all fell, landing in the path of the #10 team’s war wagon, which hit Sacco and left him with a sprained ankle. The Harvicks were not hurt.
    Spokesman Kerry Tharp said earlier today, “NASCAR has been looking into this postrace incident since it occurred. It’s something we take very seriously. An announcement regarding a course of action could come as early as Tuesday.” A spokeswoman for Evernham Motorsports said the team has cooperated with NASCAR’s investigation, and will have no comment until a final determination has been made.(Motorsports Soapbox)(11-7-2006)
    OFFICIAL Penalty: NASCAR announced today that Craig Curione, a crew member for the #10 Dodge team, has been suspended indefinitely from NASCAR and fined $10,000 for a rule violation he committed following last Sunday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway. The action resulted from violation of Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing; involved in an altercation with another Competitor) of the 2006 NASCAR Rule book.(NASCAR PR)(11-7-2006)
    MORE: Statement from James Rocco – Valvoline Evernham Racing, Designated Team Owner: “After a comprehensive internal review of the post-race incident between Kevin Harvick and a member of the #10 team, Valvoline Evernham Racing supports NASCAR’s decision to indefinitely suspend the involved crew member. We apologize to Kevin and DeLana Harvick, NASCAR, our partners and our fans for this incident. The behavior demonstrated by the involved crew member was in violation of the Valvoline Evernham Racing Employee Code of Conduct and will not be tolerated. We concur with NASCAR’s ruling and will not appeal the suspension or fine.”(Evernham Motorsports/Clear!Blue PR)(11-7-2006)
  • Robby Gordon fined and docked points for roll bar padding incident UPDATE Gordon to appeal: NASCAR announced Wednesday that Robby Gordon has been fined and issued two point-standing penalties, for rule infractions during this past Sunday’s Nextel Cup Series event at Atlanta. Gordon, the driver and owner of the #7 Chevy, has been fined $15,000; he also has been penalized with the loss of 50 driver championship points and 50 car owner championship points. Gordon also has been placed on probation by NASCAR until Dec. 31. Gordon violated Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 12-4-N (intentionally causing a caution condition during the race) – of the NASCAR Rule Book. In addition, Gordon’s crew chief Greg Erwin has been fined $10,000 due to violations of Sections 12-A and 12-4-N – and 9-4-A (crew chief assumes responsibility for the actions of his/her driver, car owner and team members). Erwin also has been placed on probation until Dec. 31.(NASCAR PR)(11-1-2006)
  • UPDATE: Gordon Plans to Appeal Penalty

    Robby Gordon Motorpsorts released a statement Wednesday night that did not address whether Gordon was innocent but indicated it would appeal the penalty. “We strongly believe the penalty imposed on the team, crew chief and driver, Robby Gordon, are excessive and fall well outside of any reasonable precedence set by NASCAR in dealing with many similar incidents in the past,” Gordon’s team said in a statement. “We do intend to appeal the severity of this penalty.”(SceneDaily.com)(11-2-2006)

  • Late Caution caused by roll-bar padding; Burton upset; Gordon guilty? UPDATE: Gordon Penalized: #31-Jeff Burton was not pleased with how a piece of roll bar padding created a caution flag about 35 laps from the finish. Burton hit the wall on lap 268 and cut a right front tire. He pitted on lap 281 and fell a lap down. He needed the field to go through its final pit stop under green to catch back up with the leaders but never got the chance when the caution came out for the roll bar padding. “We were going to be OK and then they threw a caution because of a roll bar pad,” Burton said. “NASCAR should stop every car on pit road and check for roll bar pads and whoever threw their’s out should be fined 185 points and $100,000 because it was a huge impact on the race. … It is starting to happen just too often and NASCAR gets on everybody when it happens. Well, they should find out who did it and penalize them.” The roll bar pad appeared to come from 10th-place finisher #7-Robby Gordon’s car, NBC video showed. “I definitely did not throw anything out of the window,” Gordon told NBC after the race. NASCAR did not penalize Gordon, citing the video was inconclusive.(Roanoke Times)
    AND NASCAR’s John Darby, the Nextel Cup tour director, said his inspectors would go through the various team haulers checking race cars for missing roll-bar padding: “It was a very large piece of something black and round, and we don’t know what it is when everybody is running at 190 mph. Now trying to prove whose it was is another story. But we’ll be going through every car as they load them. But that’s not to say it might not have been just under somebody’s seat.”(Winston Salem Journal)(10-30-2006)
    UPDATE: NASCAR officials are investigating whether Robby Gordon intentionally threw debris on the race track to cause a caution at Atlanta Motor Speedway. “As is the case after any race, we looked at a number of cars, including Robby Gordon’s,” spokesman Kerry Tharp said Monday. “Although we didn’t find anything suspicious with the car at the time, we are continuing to review and discuss this situation.” NASCAR called for a caution about 35 laps from the finish of Sunday’s race because a piece of roll bar padding was on the track. The timing of the caution severely hurt Jeff Burton, who was a lap down because of an earlier incident and needed the field to run through a final round of green-flag cautions to catch up. Gordon, meanwhile, benefited from the caution because he was the first car not on the lead lap. That gave him NASCAR’s “free pass” [Lucky Dog] to get back on the lead lap, and he wound up finishing 10th. Burton, a championship contender, finished 13th and demanded after the race that NASCAR investigate to determine where the debris came from. That led NBC to review its race footage, which appeared to show the debris came from Gordon’s car. He denied throwing it. Now NASCAR is looking into the issue. “What we saw at the time was debris on the race track, and for safety reasons, the caution came out,” Tharp said. “We’re gathering all the information we can and we’ll make a determination based upon what conclusions we are able to draw from that.”(Associated Press)(10-31-2006)
    UPDATE: NASCAR announced Wednesday that Robby Gordon has been fined and issued two point-standing penalties, for rule infractions during this past Sunday’s NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event at Atlanta. Gordon, the driver and owner of the #7 Chevy, has been fined $15,000; he also has been penalized with the loss of 50 driver championship points and 50 car owner championship points. Gordon also has been placed on probation by NASCAR until Dec. 31. Gordon violated Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 12-4-N (intentionally causing a caution condition during the race) – of the NASCAR Rule Book. In addition, Gordon’s crew chief Greg Erwin has been fined $10,000 due to violations of Sections 12-A and 12-4-N – and 9-4-A (crew chief assumes responsibility for the actions of his/her driver, car owner and team members). Erwin also has been placed on probation until Dec. 31.(NASCAR PR)(11-1-2006)
  • #55 Crew Chief Fined: NASCAR announced today that Tommy Baldwin Jr., crew chief for Michael Waltrip’s #55 Dodge Nextel Cup Series team, has been fined $5,000 for rule violations during last Sunday’s race at Martinsville Speedway. The fine resulted from violations of Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment used in the event that do not conform to NASCAR rules); 20-17B(3) (entering the car servicing area without a fire-resistant uniform); and 20-17.1A(3) (entering the car servicing area without a helmet) of the 2006 NASCAR Rule Book.(NASCAR PR)(10-25-2006)
  • #2 Team Penalized for shock infraction, suspension, $ and points UPDATE: NASCAR announced today that penalties have been issued to the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series #2 Dodge team as a result of rule violations last week at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Crew chief Roy McCauley has been fined $25,000 and suspended from all NASCAR events until Nov. 1, 2006. McCauley has also been placed on probation until Dec. 31, 2006. Driver Kurt Busch was penalized with the loss of 50 driver championship points and car owner Roger Penske was penalized 50 owner championship points. The penalties resulted from violations of Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment that do not conform to NASCAR rules); and 20-12.3M (right rear shock absorber would not compress) of the 2006 NASCAR Rule Book. The infraction was discovered during post-qualifying inspection on Oct. 12.(NASCAR PR)(10-18-2006)
    UPDATE – no appeal: Penske Racing South officials say that Matt Gimbel will fill in as interim crew chief this weekend at Martinsville Speedway. Penske Performance Inc. President Tim Cindric released a statement that said the team will not appeal. “While we respect the fact that the shock in question did not move the required amount after Kurt’s qualifying run, under the rules we are unable to open the shock to determine the reason until the appeal period ends,” Cindric said in the statement. “After discussing the situation with our team, I’m convinced that the problem we had with our shock was not an intentional attempt by any member of our team to circumvent NASCAR’s rules. We do not plan to appeal the decision, but we look forward to opening the shock with NASCAR to determine what caused us to fail post-qualifying inspection.”(SceneDaily.com)(10-19-2006)
  • Bunch of Busch Series penalties from Daytona; Wilson & Nead suspended, #21 loses more points: NASCAR announced today penalties and fines that have been issued among six NASCAR Busch Series teams as a result of rule violations at Daytona International Speedway.
    Shane Wilson, crew chief for the #21 Chevrolet driven by Kevin Harvick, was fined $15,000 and suspended from NASCAR for the next six events beginning with the July 8 race at Chicagoland Speedway for violating Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment used that do not conform to NASCAR rules; Section 20A-2.1E: unapproved modifications in trunk area to enhance aerodynamic performance; Section 20A-3.9F: deck lid must retain stock shape and contours; lower read edge bent to allow air to escape and Section 20A-16.3G: shock absorber access doors missing). The violations were discovered during post-qualifying inspection on June 30.
    Additionally, Harvick will lose 50 NASCAR Busch Series driver points and team owner Richard Childress will forfeit 50 NASCAR Busch Series owner points.
    Also, Gene Nead, the crew chief for the #77 Chevrolet driven by Burney Lamar, was fined $15,000 and suspended from the next six events starting with the Chicago race for violating Sections 12-4-A and 12-4-Q (Section 20A-12.3J: unapproved shock absorber components; base valves are not permitted). The infraction was found during post-race inspection on June 30.
    As a result, Lamar will lose 50 NASCAR Busch Series driver points while team owner DeLana Harvick was also penalized with the loss of 50 NASCAR Busch Series owner points due to the infraction.
    Four other crew chiefs were fined due to violations at Daytona. Mark Durgin, crew chief of the #43 Chevrolet driven by P.J. Jones and Dave Fuge Jr., crew chief for the #34 driven by Paul Tracy, were each fined $5,000 for violating 12-4-A and 12-4-Q. During pre-qualifying inspection on June 30, the #43 was found to have unapproved modification to the approved air filter housing while the #34 was discovered to have unapproved air directional devices inside the air filter housing.
    Also, Rick Gay, crew chief for the #10 Ford driven by John Andretti, was fined $2,500 violation of Sections 12-4-A and 12-4-Q (Section 20A-2.1E: vent near the “A” post modified to enhance aerodynamic performance) and Marc Reno, crew chief for the No 1. Dodge driven by Mike Wallace, was also fined $2,000 for violating 12-4-A and 12-4-Q (Section 20A-16.4.2A: fuel cell vent tube exceeded the maximum use). The #10 violation was discovered during pre-qualifying inspection while the #1 violation was found during opening day inspection on June 28.(NASCAR PR)(7-6-2006)
  • Kyle Busch Fined, Placed on Probation by NASCAR; Mayfield Penalized: NASCAR announced that Kyle Busch, driver of the #5 Kellogg’s Chevy for Hendrick Motorsports, has been fined, penalized points and placed on probation because of a rule infraction this past Sunday during the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Busch was in violation of Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) of the NASCAR Rule Book. He disobeyed a directive from a NASCAR official, entered the racing surface without authorization and threw an object at another competitor’s car during the event. He has been fined $50,000, penalized 25 Driver Championship points and placed on probation until Dec. 31. The infraction also resulted in car owner Rick Hendrick being penalized 25 Owner Championship points.
    In addition, the #19 Dodge team was found to be in violation of Section 12-4-A, 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment used that do not conform to NASCAR rules) and Section 20-12.8.1A (roof height too low in post-race inspection). That infraction resulted in crew chief Chris Andrews being fined $35,000, driver Jeremy Mayfield losing 25 driver points and car owner Ray Evernham losing 25 owner points.
    Also, Don Richardson, crew member on the #5 Chevrolet team, has been fined $5,000 and placed on probation until Dec. 31. He violated 12-4-A, because of improper use of a NASCAR credential.(NASCAR PR)(5-31-2006)
  • #88 RYR Team Penalty Upheld: On May 17, 2006, the National Stock Car Racing Commission heard and considered the appeal of Robert Yates Racing. The appeal concerned three penalties issued by NASCAR following pre-race inspection on May 6, 2006 for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event at Richmond International Raceway. The infractions concerned Section 12-4-A of the NASCAR Rule Book “Actions detrimental to stock car racing”; Section 12-4-Q “Any determination by NASCAR Officials that the car, car parts, components, and/or equipment used in the Event do not conform to NASCAR rules” and Section 20.12.2D “Unapproved rear sway bar mounting for use other than anti-roll.”
    The penalties assessed were:
    • Loss of 25 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Championship Car Owner Points for car owner Robert Yates.
    • Loss of 25 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Championship Driver Points for driver Dale Jarrett.
    • $25,000.00 fine and suspension until June 7, 2006 for crew chief Richard Labbe.
    The Commission had deferred the fine and suspension against the crew chief until the appeal hearing could be convened. The Appellants did not contest the legality of the sway bar configuration, but appealed the severity of the penalties. The Commission found that the penalties assessed are consistent with recent penalties for infractions of such a blatant nature. In reaching its decision, the Commission also notes that a warning for a lesser violation in the same area of the car had been issued at an earlier event.
    Therefore it is the unanimous decision of the National Stock Car Racing Commission to uphold the original penalties assessed by NASCAR. The Appellants have the right under Section 15 of the Rule Book to appeal this decision to the National Stock Car Racing Commissioner. The Commission further instructs NASCAR to adjust the ending date of the crew chief suspension to June 14, 2006 [thru Pococo] to remain consistent with the original 4-week suspension period. The Commission: Russell Hackett, Lyn St. James, George Silbermann, Chairman.(NASCAR PR)(5-17-2006)
  • RYR Response to NASCAR Appeal Denial: The #88 UPS Team will race the next four weeks without the services of crew
    chief Slugger Labbe after the NASCAR Appeals Committee denied the appeal submitted by Robert Yates Racing on Labbe’s behalf. As a result, Jason Burdett, car chief for the #88 UPS Team, will assume the crew chief role at the track in preparation for Saturday night’s All-Star Challenge and during the course of Labbe’s suspension. “We’re disappointed but respect the decision of the appeals committee and accept the results,” Labbe said. “Jason Burdett is a long time employee of RYR and deserves this opportunity. Jason has been involved with the #88 team for years as car chief and certainly understands the handling of the race car and the different things that I would communicate to Dale Jarrett. He’s the best person to do this for our #88 team because the communication has already been started with the driver and crew members.”
    “We’re just going to go do the same things we’ve been doing all year,” Burdett said of his added responsibilities. “We have a pretty good support group and we all work so close together that it should be pretty seamless.” Jerry Pitts, RYR’s ARCA crew chief, and Travis Geisler, engineer on the #90 RYR Ford that competes in the NASCAR Busch Series, will assist Burdett as needed.(RYR PR)(5-17-2006)
  • #88 Team facing penalty? UPDATE penalties/suspension..Appeal: The situation surrounding #88-Dale Jarrett Saturday night was murky [supposedly the rear away bar was taken], but NASCAR said it might issue penalties this week. Jarrett’s crew apparently made some pre-race chassis adjustments that NASCAR didn’t like, so NASCAR forced Jarrett to start from the rear of the field.(Winston Salem Journal)(5-8-2006)
    UPDATE – Penalties/Suspension: NASCAR issued penalties Tuesday to the #88 Nextel Cup Series team for a rule violation committed last weekend at Richmond International Raceway. Richard “Slugger” Labbe, crew chief for the #88 Ford driven by Dale Jarrett, was fined $25,000 and suspended from NASCAR until June 7, 2006 [thru race at Dover], for violating Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment used that do not conform to NASCAR rules); and 20-12.2D (unapproved rear sway bar mounting for use other than anti-roll) of the 2006 NASCAR Rule Book. The violation was discovered during pre-race inspection on May 6. Also, Jarrett has been penalized 25 driver championship points, while team owner Robert Yates has been penalized 25 owner championship points as a result of the violation.(NASCAR PR), the penalty drops Jarrett from 11th in Drivers Points to 12th, #31-Burton moves up to 11th, Jarrett had been just 2 points out of 10th.(5-9-2006)
    APPEAL: “Obviously, in this case, we interpreted the rules differently from NASCAR,” Robert Yates, who vowed to appeal the punishments, stated. “But because of the lack of a clear-cut understanding on our part, we believe we have grounds for appeal and have started that process.” Since the appeal won’t be heard before next week, Labbe will be present at the upcoming Darlington race this weekend. “If our interpretation is wrong, we did wrong,” Yates added. “Like most, we’re pressing the envelope to the highest degree to get the best performance. We pushed reading the rules to the edge.” In the wake of the Chad Knaus’ ejection from the Daytona 500 in February, Yates was quoted as saying he would have fired a crew chief that cheated deliberately like in the case of the illegal rear window found Jimmie Johnson’s #48 Hendrick Chevy. The veteran team owner declined to comment on Labbe’s future with RYR in case the #88’s appeal is denied.(Speed Channel)
    UPDATE 2: the appeal is scheduled to be heard on Wednesday, May 17th, if held up, Labbe would miss Pocono instead of this weeks race in Darlington.(PRN’s Garage Pass Radio Show)(5-10-2006)
  • #74 Penalty Upheld: On May 2, 2006, the National Stock Car Racing Commission [Terry Eames, Humpy Wheeler, George Silbermann, Chairman] heard and considered the Appeal of McGlynn Motorsports. The appeal concerned three penalties issued by NASCAR following inspection on April 7, 2006 for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event at Texas Motor Speedway. The infractions concerned Section 12-4-A of the NASCAR Rule Book “Actions detrimental to stock car racing”; Section 12-4-Q “Any determination by NASCAR Officials that the car, car parts, components, and/or equipment used in the Event do not conform to NASCAR rules; and Section 20-5.9G(1) “External modifications to the intake manifold will not be permitted unless approved by the Series Director.” The penalties assessed were:
    • Loss of 25 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Championship Car Owner Points for owner Raynard McGlynn.
    • Loss of 25 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Championship Driver Points for driver Derrike Cope.
    • $50,000.00 fine for crew chief Domenick Turse.
    The Appellants acknowledged that the intake modifications violated the rules, but appealed the severity of the penalties. The Commission found that the penalties assessed are consistent with penalties for similar infractions of an overt nature in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. Therefore it is the unanimous decision of the National Stock Car Racing Commission to uphold the original penalties assessed by NASCAR. The Appellants have the right under Section 15 of the Rule Book to appeal this decision to the National Stock Car Racing Commissioner.(NASCAR)(5-3-2006)
  • #21 Crew Chief penalized: NASCAR announced that David Hyder, crew chief for the #21 Nextel Cup Series team, has been fined $5,000 and placed on probation until Dec. 31, 2006 for a rule violation at Phoenix International Raceway. Hyder violated Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing), 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment that do not conform to NASCAR rules) and 20-10.8.4I (unapproved tire warming by using a portable heater) of the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Rule Book. The rule violation was discovered during the running of the Subway Fresh 500 on April 22.(NASCAR)(5-1-2006)
  • #74 appeals NASCAR fine and penalties UPDATE: #74-McGlynn Racing announced today that the have formally requested a hearing with the National Stock Car Racing Commission for the [25 point] penalties issued to owner, Raynard McGlynn, driver Derrike Cope as well as the $50,000 fine issued to crew chief, Domenic Turse.(McGlynn Racing PR)(4-23-2006)
    UPDATE: Derrike Cope says McGlynn Motorsports’ appeal of a $50,000 fine and 25 points for an illegal intake manifold at Texas is scheduled for next Tuesday. Cope, the driver of the team’s #74 Dodge in the Nextel Cup Series, said the team was using a new intake manifold, and when a NASCAR official saw them putting it on the car, they were told it was probably illegal. The car never actually went through inspection with the illegal manifold. “We’re going to go through the appeal … and see if there is some type of situation that could reduce the fine,” Cope said. The team sat out the Phoenix race and will sit out the Talladega race with hopes of returning at Richmond.(SceneDaily.com)(4-28-2006)
  • NASCAR Looking at Kyle Busch – Mears incident UPDATE no penalties: #5-Kyle Busch didn’t have much to say and #42-Casey Mears probably didn’t feel there was much to say about Busch’s running into Mears under the red flag following their accident on lap 100 of the Nextel Cup race Saturday. Busch was mad at Mears over the accident in the Subway Fresh 500 at Phoenix International Raceway and showed his displeasure with the light tap. Busch was about 45 laps down when he returned to the race and NASCAR held him five laps for rough driving, but Busch would have finished in the same position with or without the five-lap penalty. NASCAR will revisit the issue this week to determine whether any additional penalties are warranted. After meeting with NASCAR officials in the hauler following the race, Busch left the track without commenting to reporters, and Mears, frustrated with his car even before the Busch tap, was atypically terse. “I’m not really worried about Kyle,” Mears said. When asked if he was surprised Busch hit him during the red flag, Mears replied: “I’m not surprised with anything he does.”(SceneDaily.com)(4-24-2006)
    UPDATE: NASCAR has decided it will neither fine nor take points away from #5-Kyle Busch for running into the back of #42-Casey Mears during the red flag period of last Saturday’s Subway Fresh 500 at Phoenix International Raceway, according to NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp. NASCAR officials met with Busch following the race and Tharp indicated on Tuesday that NASCAR now considers the issue closed. After leaving the hauler, Alan Gustafson, Busch’s crew chief, said he hoped the team would not get a penalty. “[NASCAR said] just that we need to respect the red flag, and I agree with them,” Busch’s crew chief, Alan Gustafson, said after leaving the hauler. “he #1 priority in that situation is the safety of other people and that’s what we’ve got to worry about.”(SceneDaily.com)(4-25-2006)
  • Rule Violations Result in Penalties for #74 team: NASCAR announced today that one fine and two penalties have been issued to the #74 Dodge team competing in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series, as a result of rule violations last week at Texas Motor Speedway. Due to violations of Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing), 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment that do not conform to NASCAR rules) and 20-5.9G(1) (external modifications to the intake manifold deemed impermissible unless authorized by the Series Director) of the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Rule Book, crew chief Domenick Turse was fined $50,000; driver Derrike Cope was penalized with the loss of 25 driver championship points; and car owner Ray McGlynn was penalized 25 owner championship points. The infraction was discovered during opening day inspection.(NASCAR PR)(4-11-2006)
  • Rule Violations Result in Suspension, Fine for #07 Team: NASCAR has announced that one member of the #07 Jack Daniel’s/DirecTV Chevy team has been suspended and another has been fined, as a result of rule violations during this past Sunday’s NASCAR NEXTEL Cup event at Martinsville Speedway. Crew member Clint Almquist has been suspended from NASCAR until April 19, 2006 [misses Texas] and placed on probation until June 7, 2006 for violating Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) of the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series rule book. During Sunday’s race, Almquist on one occasion did not place racing fuel in the designated collection area. Crew chief Gil Martin was fined $2,500 for violating Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 9-4-A (crew chief assumes responsibility for the actions of his team members).(NASCAR PR)(4-5-2006)
  • 15 Minute Penalties dished out: #01-Nemechek, #5-Busch and #43-Labonte were all penalized 15 minutes of practice time at Martinsville Speedway on Friday as the teams were amonished for being late for inspection last week at Bristol.(MRN Radio Qualifying Coverage)(4-1-2006)
  • Jeff Gordon Fined by NASCAR as a Result of Bristol Infraction: NASCAR announced today that Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 DuPont Chevrolet, has been fined $10,000 as a result of his involvement in an altercation on pit road [he pushed #17-Matt Kenseth] after the completion of Sunday’s NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Gordon has also been placed on probation until Aug. 30, 2006. Gordon was in violation of Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) of the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup rule book.(NASCAR PR)(3-28-2006)
  • Penalties/Fines/Suspensions from Atlanta Infractions: NASCAR announced today that penalties have been issued to two NASCAR NEXTEL Cup teams, as a result of rule violations this past weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
    Rodney Childers, crew chief for the #10 Valvoline Dodge driven by Scott Riggs, has been fined $10,000 for violating Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 12-4-W (improperly attached weight) of the 2006 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup rule book. The violation was discovered during practice.
    Larry Hyder, crew chief for the #21 Little Debbie’s Ford driven by Ken Schrader, has been fined $1,000 for violating Sections 12-4-A; 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment that do not conform to NASCAR rules); and 20-3.2.3A (unapproved side window). The violation was discovered during pre-qualifying inspection.
    Additionally, Thomas Harris, a member of the #66 Best Buy race team, has been fined $5,000 and indefinitely suspended from NASCAR for violating Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing/unauthorized duplication of a NASCAR Annual Credential).
    (NASCAR PR)(3-23-2006)
  • HOF Racing not to appeal ruling: Bill Saunders, co-owner and general partner of the #96 Hall of Fame Racing team, said Sunday the team will not use its final appeal to try to overturn penalties imposed by NASCAR for a technical violation in Daytona 500 qualifying. NASCAR inspectors found an unapproved carburetor modification was used in the #96 DLP Chevy. A three-member panel from the National Stock Car Racing Commission last week unanimously upheld the NASCAR ruling, including a $25,000 fine to crew chief Philippe Lopez and loss of 25 points by both driver Terry Labonte and Saunders, listed as owner of the car and a co-owner of the new team with former NFL quarterbacks Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman. The team could have appealed that ruling to NASCAR commissioner Charles D. Strang.(ESPN.com/AP)(3-13-2006)
  • HOF Racing appeal denied: Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach’s #96 Hall of Fame Racing team will have to live with its Daytona penalty. The team’s appeal was denied Tuesday by a three-person review panel of the National Stock Car Racing Commission at the NASCAR R&D Center in Concord, NC. HOF Racing’s #96 DLP Chevy team was penalized 25 championship points and crew chief Philippe Lopez was fined $25,000 on Feb. 21 for using a carburetor that didn’t meet regulations during qualifying for the Daytona 500.
    The team appealed the decision because the carburetor and engine came from Joe Gibbs Racing, which is supplying equipment to HOF.
    HOF officials didn’t have a comment after the verdict was announced. The points penalty is costly for HOF because the team needs to stay in the top 35 in the standings to have a guaranteed spot in the field at each Nextel Cup race. Terry Labonte, who is driving the car for the first five races, ranks 31st after the first two events. But the team would rank 26th if not for the points deduction. Labonte has a guaranteed spot as a past Nextel Cup champion, but he’s only driving the first five races. Tony Raines takes over in Martinsville on April 2.
    Aikman and Staubach did not attend the appeal hearing. J.D. Gibbs, president of JGR, went to the hearing with Bill Saunders, the managing general partner of HOF, and Lopez.(Dallas Morning News)(3-8-2006)
  • Hall of Fame Racing Appeal Date set: Hall of Fame Racing’s appeal of a fine and two points deductions meted out by NASCAR for infractions discovered at Daytona International Speedway will be heard Tuesday [March 7th] in Concord, NC. The start-up Nextel Cup Series team is co-owned by former Cowboys quarterbacks and Pro Football Hall of Famers Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman.
    HOF Racing was hit with three penalties last week after an unapproved carburetor was found following qualifying for the Daytona 500 on the #96 DLP Chevy driven by Terry Labonte. NASCAR fined crew chief Philippe Lopez $25,000, even though the team’s engines are supplied by Joe Gibbs Racing. Labonte, who finished 17th in the race, was docked 25 championship points. Dallasite Bill Saunders, managing partner of HOF Racing, was fined 25 owners points.(Fort Worth Star Telegram)(3-3-2006)
  • Aikman Perplexed by Penalty: Pro Football Hall-of-Famer to be Troy Aikman questioned NASCAR’s 25-point penalty for an illegal carburetor modification found on the #96 Hall of Fame Racing car in post-qualifying inspection Feb. 12 for the Daytona 500. Aikman and co-owner Roger Staubach were not expecting a points penalty because Nextel Cup Series Director John Darby said Feb. 14 that it didn’t look as if it was an intentional violation. But NASCAR announced Feb. 21 that crew chief Philippe Lopez was fined $25,000 and the team lost 25 driver points and owner points. “I don’t know how that encourages new ownership and how that encourages new sponsors to get involved in the sport to where penalties are handed down that are very prohibitive and affect the ability of these people to bring millions of dollars and see results,” Aikman said prior to the Auto Club 500 at California Speedway. “It’s discouraging to say the least.” The team is appealing the decision. “Whenever we have to issue a penalty, we do a history of penalties to try to stay consistent,” Darby said Feb. 24. “The huge majority of carburetor violations that we’ve seen over the last five years have all been the same penalties as were issued to the 96.” The illegal modification was in one of the four ports in the carburetor, team general partner Bill Saunders said after the infraction was found but before the penalty was announced. He added that it was from bad machinery. “Right is right and wrong is wrong,” Aikman said Feb. 26. “To me, that was unequivocally wrong. I don’t know there is anymore I can say about it or anymore we can do about it. I’m hoping that more reasonable heads prevail when they get a chance to look at the appeal, but I’m not confident anything will happen there because I’m not sure why they wouldn’t prevail when they were handing down penalties to begin with.”(Scene Daily)(2-27-2006)
  • Explanation of why no points penalty for #48: Examples:
    Points penalty
    Last March at Las Vegas, #29 crew chief Todd Berrier welded the fuel filler so it looked like it was full of fuel when it wasn’t.
    Two weeks ago at Daytona, the Hall of Fame Racing’s #96 car qualified with an unapproved carburetor.
    According to NASCAR, those two infractions warranted not only a fine but a reduction of 25 driver and owner points because the fuel filler and the carburetor were absolutely unapproved parts. NASCAR was able to walk over to the car and confiscate those pieces, and their use was premeditated. The pieces were specifically made to skirt NASCAR’s rules.
    No points penalty
    Last fall during qualifying at Talladega, Berrier and the #29 team had some trap doors in the trunk that weren’t properly sealed off. The shocks were open when they were supposed to be closed. And some hose clamp that holds the fuel-filler pipe in place came loose. The next thing you know, Kevin Harvick’s car had air underneath the car, going up through the trunk and escaping out a hole in the back of the tail light. In that instance, no unapproved parts or pieces were used.
    During Daytona 500 qualifying this year, crew chief Chad Knaus and the #48 team put a sleeve over the trackbar adjuster. Like the #29 car at Talladega last fall, all of those parts and pieces were still part of the car that they raced in the Daytona 500.
    so….Points penalty: In simple terms, here’s the pattern. If you maliciously put something on a car that’s made or machined, and it’s an unapproved piece that can be confiscated, the team will be fined, the crew chief will be suspended and the driver and owner will lose 25 points.
    No points penalty: If you take something that’s already on the car and use it to beat the spirit of the rule, then it warrants a suspension and a fine, but it does not warrant the loss of 25 driver and owner points. See Larry McReynolds full article at FoxSports.(2-23-2006)
  • #96 HOF and JGR to appeal penalties: Hall of Fame Racing has an engine lease program with Joe Gibbs Racing, and the
    unapproved carburetor came with the engine supplied to Hall of Fame Racing. “Joe Gibbs Racing provides all of the engines and carburetors for Hall of Fame Racing,” said Gibbs.  “We are responsible for any issues having arisen from the unapproved carburetor that was taken by NASCAR in Daytona.  It is never our intention to put any unapproved parts on any of our race cars or those of our partners.  We will join Hall of Fame Racing in appealing the severity of the penalty.”(JGR PR)(2-21-2006)
  • #48 and #96 Penalties Announced: NASCAR announced today that four penalties have been issued to two NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series teams, as a result of rule violations this past weekend at Daytona International Speedway.
    Chad Knaus, crew chief for the #48 Chevrolet driven by Jimmie Johnson, has been fined $25,000 and suspended from all NASCAR events until March 22, 2006 [thru Atlanta race]. Knaus has also been placed on probation until Dec. 31, 2006. The penalties come because of an unapproved template modification to the rear window area, violating Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 20-3.12.1 (A) (unapproved template modification.) of the 2006 NASCAR Rule book. The violation was discovered during Feb. 12 post-qualifying inspection for the Daytona 500. On Feb. 13, NASCAR ejected Knaus from further participation in Daytona 500 activities as a result of the violation.[No Point Penalties]
    Three penalties were assessed to the #96 Chevrolet team, due to the use of an unapproved carburetor, a violation of Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment that do not conform to NASCAR rules) of the 2006 NASCAR Rule Book. Crew chief Philippe Lopez was fined $25,000; driver Terry Labonte was penalized with the loss of 25 driver championship points; and car owner William Saunders was penalized 25 owner championship points. This rule violation was also discovered during post-qualifying inspection for the Daytona 500.(NASCAR PR)(2-21-2006)