[PenelopePitStop]

Wow! I'm joining this thread late, and haven't read every post line by line, but Hendrick, Gordon, Johnson should be treated no different than anyone else.

As someone hinted to, if appropriate fines are not imposed on this one, the "favoritism controversy" will hail!

Again, NASCAR must hit 'em where it hurts! That equals points, not monetary fines and/or the lack of opportunity to qualify and or practice. Look what happened to Mikey. Is this any different?

However, I don't think suspension would be appropriate. If Kurt didn't get suspended for his behavior on pit road, nobody should. The bar has been set.

Just when I thought the interesting posts were over for the season, here we go again!

[PenelopePitStop]

Did some research ... no fines ... I'm pi$$ed ...

Cheating is cheating, no matter who you are.

[Nevadastars]

Originally Posted by PenelopePitStop

Did some research ... no fines ... I'm pi$$ed ...

Cheating is cheating, no matter who you are.

I was under the impression they wont assess any fines/penalties until Monday or Tuesday.

[jks812]

Originally Posted by Nevadastars

I was under the impression they wont assess any fines/penalties until Monday or Tuesday.

Thats what they were saying. Said it would probably be Tuesday, after the officials got back to Daytona and met, when they decided and announced them.

[PenelopePitStop]

Originally Posted by jks812

Thats what they were saying. Said it would probably be Tuesday, after the officials got back to Daytona and met, when they decided and announced them.

Thanks for explaining ... let's wait and see.

[oncea3fan]

I'd hate to defend HMS or chad, but if he hasn't been caught this year and this is his first run in this year, then he should only get what jr.'s team got maybe a little more for intent. but if you want nascar tobe consistate then it's got to be consistate across the board for all teams evan the one you don't like.
I 'd say 150 pts. 10 weeks susp. 150k for both teams a bit more harsh because it was intent and the COT.

[jks812]

Originally Posted by oncea3fan

I'd hate to defend HMS or chad, but if he hasn't been caught this year and this is his first run in this year, then he should only get what jr.'s team got maybe a little more for intent.

This might be his 1st time this year but he has been caught over and over and over. The 1st time Mikey's got caught, he got suspended indefinitely. If they can do that to one the 1st time, why not one thats been caught numerous times. It's cheating and it was as intentionally as Mikey's.

[SpaceCadet]

I'm totally confused after watching all the coverage on Speed. Hammond said that both cars fit the template, but NASCAR didn't like the way the fenders "looked". If that's the case, isn't this whole thing a little ridiculous? The cars fit the template NASCAR came up with. So what is the problem? How can a car be flunked because NASCAR doesn't like the way it looks? I guess Dave Despain had the answer. NASCAR can do anything they want. So how about a new conspiracy theory here. Reverse prejudice. NASCAR knows people are sick of HMS and Gordon winning so much. It's bad to have a dominant team or driver. Fans start to zone out. What better way to get things revved up again than to find a problem with the #1 team and #1 driver (in the point standings). Bear in mind, I don't necessarily subscribe to this theory, but ya just never know! I still think Chad needs to be gone for good.

[King43STP]

Originally Posted by SpaceCadet

I'm totally confused after watching all the coverage on Speed. Hammond said that both cars fit the template, but NASCAR didn't like the way the fenders "looked". If that's the case, isn't this whole thing a little ridiculous? The cars fit the template NASCAR came up with. So what is the problem? How can a car be flunked because NASCAR doesn't like the way it looks? I guess Dave Despain had the answer. NASCAR can do anything they want. So how about a new conspiracy theory here. Reverse prejudice. NASCAR knows people are sick of HMS and Gordon winning so much. It's bad to have a dominant team or driver. Fans start to zone out. What better way to get things revved up again than to find a problem with the #1 team and #1 driver (in the point standings). Bear in mind, I don't necessarily subscribe to this theory, but ya just never know! I still think Chad needs to be gone for good.

Taking Hammond's word for anything IMO is selling yourself short. He's a good entertainer, he does know what he's talking about when it comes to the cars. But he was a Hendrick boy, not all that long ago. If you want a somewhat different take on this. Look at what Larry Mac said, 'NASCAR has said no messing with the bodies. If you do we will punish you.'
As for Chad being gone for good, the same thing was said about Ray Evernham, Robby Loomis and others when they worked for Hendrick's. Seams to me when they leave and go to another team, they change their ways. It isn't about them cheating, it's about the mind set of the team they work for. If a team says win at any cost Crew Chiefs will innovate, cheat, push the envelope, or what ever you want to call it. NASCAR must look behind the Crew Chiefs also. Will they? I don't think so. And that is sad for the sport. I remember back about 1972-1973 an interview that was given by Richard Petty, when asked about cheating. He said something like 'When you have better cars and better drivers you don't have to innovate, but then you might be left behind by those that do. There is no black and white in this sport, it's mostly gray.' And it's those same gray areas that NASCAR has been trying to make black and white.

[SpaceCadet]

Originally Posted by King43STP

Taking Hammond's word for anything IMO is selling yourself short. He's a good entertainer, he does know what he's talking about when it comes to the cars. But he was a Hendrick boy, not all that long ago. If you want a somewhat different take on this. Look at what Larry Mac said, 'NASCAR has said no messing with the bodies. If you do we will punish you.'
As for Chad being gone for good, the same thing was said about Ray Evernham, Robby Loomis and others when they worked for Hendrick's. Seams to me when they leave and go to another team, they change their ways. It isn't about them cheating, it's about the mind set of the team they work for. If a team says win at any cost Crew Chiefs will innovate, cheat, push the envelope, or what ever you want to call it. NASCAR must look behind the Crew Chiefs also. Will they? I don't think so. And that is sad for the sport. I remember back about 1972-1973 an interview that was given by Richard Petty, when asked about cheating. He said something like 'When you have better cars and better drivers you don't have to innovate, but then you might be left behind by those that do. There is no black and white in this sport, it's mostly gray.' And it's those same gray areas that NASCAR has been trying to make black and white.

Ok, I follow you. But Kyle Petty said he felt very strongly Rick Hendrick was not behind this because it did not involve all the cars. And I agree with Larry Mac, it's been said not to mess with the bodies. Is that written in the rule book? Is there a rule book? If NASCAR is going to be this specific in their judgement of what passes and what doesn't, regardless of fitting the templates, doesn't that give the owners/chiefs/driver the right to demand that NASCAR be as specific with their documented rules? I'd be interested to see how it's written. "Do not mess with with any part of the body anywhere for any reason, not the wing, not the fenders, not the splitter, nowhere, nothing, nada." Or is it "messing with the body is forwned upon" type thing. Or even, "no messing with parts needing to fit the template" but doesn't say "including areas between the template." If NASCAR wants to be specific to this extent, it must work both ways. Let's face it, crew chiefs are going to go over the rules with a fine tooth comb to find a loophole. NASCAR knows those looplholes are there. I'm not sure why Knaus would think he could get away with it, because regardless of how it's worded, he had to understand the intent. I don't agree with what he did, (and I think Letarte is learning how the game is really played here), but NASCAR needs to sit right down and define every grey area. If they want all to play by the rules, they need to stop hiding behing CYA phrases like "as deemed by NASCAR to be detrimental to the sport of stock car racing" and get mega specific, leaving nothing to the imagination. Take away all chance for innovation, creativity, rising above by engaging brain. If they have this magic rule bood that is specific to the inth degree, then I just rambled on and made an a$$ of myself for nothing. The story of my life.

[jks812]

Added Kyle Petty: "You have a rule book, and we have rules. NASCAR has been adamant about the COT. For 24 months, they've been adamant about the COT: 'Don't mess with us on this.' I think we've already seen it when a mistake was made by the 8 car. We saw how drastic they approached a mistake, so anytime you get into something they deem intentional, it's going to be big."

If for 24 months they have been told not to mess with it, then they should ALL ( DEI also) know not to mess with it.

[jks812]

All Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson can do now is wait.
They sat out practice and qualifying on Friday, started at the rear of the field on Sunday, and tried to salvage something positive out of a weekend marred by technical violations found on their respective racecars. The Hendrick Motorsports teammates left Infineon Raceway hoping for some leniency from NASCAR -- but not really expecting it.



"To me, what happened on Friday was huge. It had a trickle effect throughout this entire garage area," Gordon said after rallying to finish seventh. (watch video) "Everybody's eyes are wide open, going, 'Wow, I can't believe they're coming down that hard on this type of infraction.' I think all of us are blown away. We don't know what's coming next. We're at the mercy of NASCAR. I hope they take it light on us, but who knows."
In initial inspection Friday, NASCAR

"I think the punishment on Friday fit the crime," he said. "I think anything more than that is going to be extremely disappointing, and really kind of a jaw-dropper. But hey, I've seen crazy things happen this year. I'm not wishing or expecting anything less than anyone else."


I didn't feel like copying the whole article. I just thought the line about the punishment Friday fit the crime was just to funny.

[PenelopePitStop]

Originally Posted by jks812

All Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson can do now is wait.
They sat out practice and qualifying on Friday, started at the rear of the field on Sunday, and tried to salvage something positive out of a weekend marred by technical violations found on their respective racecars. The Hendrick Motorsports teammates left Infineon Raceway hoping for some leniency from NASCAR -- but not really expecting it.



"To me, what happened on Friday was huge. It had a trickle effect throughout this entire garage area," Gordon said after rallying to finish seventh. (watch video) "Everybody's eyes are wide open, going, 'Wow, I can't believe they're coming down that hard on this type of infraction.' I think all of us are blown away. We don't know what's coming next. We're at the mercy of NASCAR. I hope they take it light on us, but who knows."
In initial inspection Friday, NASCAR

"I think the punishment on Friday fit the crime," he said. "I think anything more than that is going to be extremely disappointing, and really kind of a jaw-dropper. But hey, I've seen crazy things happen this year. I'm not wishing or expecting anything less than anyone else."


I didn't feel like copying the whole article. I just thought the line about the punishment Friday fit the crime was just to funny.

Oh, boy ...

"We're at the mercy of NASCAR. I hope they take it light on us, but who knows."

If NASCAR does "take it light", I'm just going to shake my head. I'm sure I won't be alone.

Everyone else was able to pass inspection. They get it. I'll leave it at that ...

http://www.smileycentral.com/sig.jsp?pc=ZSzeb097&pp=ZN

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by jks812

"I think the punishment on Friday fit the crime," he said. "I think anything more than that is going to be extremely disappointing, and really kind of a jaw-dropper. But hey, I've seen crazy things happen this year. I'm not wishing or expecting anything less than anyone else."

WOW ... is he ever in for a surprise !!!!

[PenelopePitStop]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

WOW ... is he ever in for a surprise !!!!

In the words of DW, "Splain yourself."