[vincesanity82]

NASCAR is determined to take any guesswork out of its new Car of Tomorrow. With a new system of templates and sensors to measure the parameters of the taller, wider and reputedly safer car, NASCAR chairman Brian France said the sanctioning organization wants to leave no doubts that it will come down hard on infractions."We have to lay down the law," France said Sunday at Infineon Raceway, where the Nextel Cup cars raced in the Toyota/Save Mart 350.
That doesn't bode well for the teams of Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, who were parked for Friday's practice and qualifying after NASCAR inspectors found front fenders on their COT Chevrolets had been illegally modified.
The two Hendrick Motorsports drivers were allowed to practice Saturday and race Sunday, starting from the rear of the field, but it is expected that NASCAR will follow up in the next few days with more severe penalties, possibly including the loss of drivers and owner points, six-figure fines and suspensions for the crew chiefs.
Asked if NASCAR is taking all the creativity away from the teams', France said, "There will always be room for imagination and ingenuity in the sport. But we don't want this thing to revolve around technology. It's important to keep it in the hands of the drivers."

FOX Sports on MSN - NASCAR - NASCAR determined to police COT

[LSC9901]

It'll be interesting to see just how much law they actually lay down. Monday or Tuesday will tell for sure.

[King43STP]

Originally Posted by vincesanity82

NASCAR is determined to take any guesswork out of its new Car of Tomorrow. With a new system of templates and sensors to measure the parameters of the taller, wider and reputedly safer car, NASCAR chairman Brian France said the sanctioning organization wants to leave no doubts that it will come down hard on infractions."We have to lay down the law," France said Sunday at Infineon Raceway, where the Nextel Cup cars raced in the Toyota/Save Mart 350.
That doesn't bode well for the teams of Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, who were parked for Friday's practice and qualifying after NASCAR inspectors found front fenders on their COT Chevrolets had been illegally modified.
The two Hendrick Motorsports drivers were allowed to practice Saturday and race Sunday, starting from the rear of the field, but it is expected that NASCAR will follow up in the next few days with more severe penalties, possibly including the loss of drivers and owner points, six-figure fines and suspensions for the crew chiefs.
Asked if NASCAR is taking all the creativity away from the teams', France said, "There will always be room for imagination and ingenuity in the sport. But we don't want this thing to revolve around technology. It's important to keep it in the hands of the drivers."

FOX Sports on MSN - NASCAR - NASCAR determined to police COT

Even without messing with the body there's dozens if not hundreds of things they can do with the COT. Examples, Caster, Camber, Toe in or out, Steering Gear boxes, Carb size, Rear end gears (within NASCAR limits), Splitter angle, Wing angle, and plenty of other things.

[Racer Duck]

'tis the nature of a racer to look for an edge.

in the inteview with Junior Johnson broadcast before the race today, he said his success was primarily due to looking for places where he could "get an edge" .. whether it was in the motor or the body or the tires or whatever. his success was because he was able to find those things that gave him the edge.

I agree with Kyle Petty: I applaud Knaus and Letarte for trying something that might give them an edge. but they didn't give it to the whole team...which meant they weren't really trying to help Hendrick Motorsports, just themselves.

NASCAR found it and said "NO! NO!" and slapped their hand .. we'll find out how hard in a couple days...

[oncea3fan]

but they didn't give it to the whole team...which meant they weren't really trying to help Hendrick Motorsports, just themselves.

well you know the #5 won't get dittly until next years, and the 25 is more so the parts test team.

[King43STP]

Originally Posted by oncea3fan

but they didn't give it to the whole team...which meant they weren't really trying to help Hendrick Motorsports, just themselves.

well you know the #5 won't get dittly until next years, and the 25 is more so the parts test team.

Over alot of years the 5 and 25 didn't get anything from the 24 and 48 teams. After all they are in two different shops. I think it date back to the Texas Terry and DW days.

[McMurray26]

Originally Posted by King43STP

Over alot of years the 5 and 25 didn't get anything from the 24 and 48 teams. After all they are in two different shops. I think it date back to the Texas Terry and DW days.

labonte wasn't there when dw was there...

[King43STP]

Originally Posted by McMurray26

labonte wasn't there when dw was there...

Maybe you're right,after all I can't remember every driver and every team. But DW did mention something about that when he was talking about the Hendrick organization.

[jks812]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

NASCAR found it and said "NO! NO!" and slapped their hand .. we'll find out how hard in a couple days...

Probably be just enough of a slap for Hendrick to say, I think a fly just landed on me.

[LSC9901]

This will just give us all more to complain about, although I hope they prove me wrong.

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

This will just give us all more to complain about, although I hope they prove me wrong.

I they play around with this I forsee alot of fans leaving the sport as well as tv ratings dropping.

[King43STP]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

This will just give us all more to complain about, although I hope they prove me wrong.

I hope so also, but I know NASCAR, they don't always do the right thing.

[gpeck29]

Originally Posted by vincesanity82

NASCAR chairman Brian France said the sanctioning organization wants to leave no doubts that it will come down hard on infractions."We have to lay down the law," France said

What law is NASCAR gong to lay down?

NASCAR: Even though your car fits our templates (the Law) we don't like how the area between looks....your frown, we don't like it either.

Hendrick: What?

NASCAR: Why don't you go sit in the corner, think about what you did...when you fix it come back and we'll look at it again...and you better have a smile on your face.

Hendrick: But Mommy (NASCAR), I was only working within the rules you said to work in.

here we go with the "Actions detrimental to Stock Car Racing", when with NASCAR be fined for "Actions detrimental to stock Car Racing"? I agree with others that this and the inability of teams to innovate will eventually lead to the loss of TV viewers and ultimately the popularity of the sport. I wish NASCAR would set rules to live by and live by their own rules.

[oncea3fan]

so did they race the cars as were, repair the cars to "look" right, or did they go to a back up car?

I am starting to get confussed has to what was actually wrong with the cars, if they fit the templet they should have been good to go.


now if they went to back up cars that were built like all the others then they knew they were doing something risky, now if even the bach up car were made the same then I don't know. ?????????

[gpeck29]

NASCAR made them sit out Friday's practices and Qualifying as well as repair the cars. Both the 48 and the 24 cut out the piece between the templates and reshaped the fender where the Goodyear sticker is (above the tire) to meet NASCAR's keen eyesight.

I agree that if they met the templates, they should have raced. NASCAR should have done what they did with the JURASSIC PARK Car of the 24's a long time ago...politely ask the team not to do it again and instituted rules to prevent it fro happening again. It's simple, NASCAR needs to create another template at which to measure by OR stamp the fenders and have the teams buy them from NASCAR.