[jks812]

NASCAR parks Gordon after his actions in Busch race

ESPN.com news services

Updated: August 5, 2007, 9:29 AM ET

Robby Gordon's antics at Saturday's Busch race in Montreal will have him parked for Sunday's Nextel Cup race at Pocono, Pa.
Gene Nead, Gordon's crew chief, has confirmed that Gordon will not be allowed to race in Sunday's Pennsylvania 500. P.J. Jones, who practiced in the car Saturday while Gordon was in Montreal, will run the No. 7 Ford in the race.
A formal announcement from NASCAR is forthcoming at some point Sunday morning.
Gordon refused to forfeit his position on the track when ordered to by NASCAR late in Saturday's race, officials said he intentionally knocked Marcos Ambrose out of the race, and then refused to pull off the track as ordered.
Kevin Harvick won Saturday's race, but Gordon celebrated as if he had won the event.
The finish capped a wild final few laps that heated up when Gordon began charging through the field to the front, where Ambrose seemed to be heading to his first NASCAR victory. Gordon was second on a restart with four laps to go, and a multi-car accident brought out a caution.
Gordon passed Ambrose at the same time as the accident to take the lead, but Ambrose spun him to reclaim it seconds later. Gordon was idling sideways as the field roared by him on the historic Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, but he raced back to the front under yellow and gave Ambrose a retaliatory bump.
He then tried to move into the lead because he thought he was in first -- or at worst, second -- when the caution came out.
NASCAR instead ruled he was 13th, based on where Gordon was when he righted his car following the spin from Ambrose. He vehemently refused to move back into the field, and NASCAR warned him they would not score him if he didn't forfeit his position.
When the race resumed with three laps to go, Gordon was still holding second place but immediately spun Ambrose to take the lead. NASCAR then ordered him off the track.
He refused that order, too, and led the field around the course for the final three laps.
But NASCAR refused to acknowledge him, and waved the black flag at him every time he crossed the line. The results show he finished 18th -- based on the amount of laps he completed before he was disqualified -- but Gordon celebrated as if he won the race by doing victory burnouts at the same time Harvick did.
"I did the most laps, I was the first car to complete them, I won the race," Gordon said. "We came here to win the race, and that's what we did."
NASCAR officials furiously retreated into their office, where Gordon was summoned after he climbed from his car. He had a copy of the rule book in his hands when he left moments later.
"You always go back to your position if you get spun out, and [Ambrose] spun me under the caution," Gordon said. "They told me originally to go back to second place, and I went back to second place. Then halfway around the last [caution] lap, they said to go back to 13th place or 14th place, something like that.
"I was never running 13th or 14th, so I don't know what to say."

[jks812]

That is BS. He was spun under caution and they have always, if someone got spun under caution, gave them their position back.

[oncea3fan]

"They told me originally to go back to second place, and I went back to second place. Then halfway around the last [caution] lap, they said to go back to 13th place or 14th place, something like that.
"I was never running 13th or 14th, so I don't know what to say."

they gave him 2nd then took it away total bull!!

[jks812]

Thats what I thought too. But it's Nascar, so no big surprise. If he had not been spun during the caution, then yes put him in 12th. But it was a caution out when he got spun. They showed that on tv. But we knew they weren't gonna give the lead back to Robby and take a chance on him winning it.

[wingkey1]

What a mess the end of that race was.

One of the questions we have here is with regards to the caution. Have not as yet seen anything that answers it. I too initially "bit" on the thought (based on what was seen) that he (Robby) was spun under caution so at restart, he'd get his position back. THEN a brain cell fired off and said - it's a road course dummy. There is more than one "caution" type. There is a segment (of the track) caution, and there is a whole course caution. What exactly was the "caution" I was looking at when Robby was spun? Noone seems to factually know. If it was a segment caution, it ain't clear to me whether or not a driver should expect a reposition. Fact is, I expect the driver should not expect a reposition because for all intent and purposes the race is on in all segments of the track except for the incident area. So the question (for me) remains - what exactly was that waving yellow flag?

Be that as it may, eventually indeed we went to "full course" caution. Now we have been a Race Judge working in conjunction with the scorers, flagger, race director. There have been situations (cautions) in which communications have gone to the driver of the car "first in line" during/under the caution laps that were essentially - "You ARE NOT the leader, the driver behind you is, so drop behind him/her". It would be an exponential error, but we have indeed heard it said - "You ARE NOT the leader, the driver behind you is, so drop to second place". Neither example is the best way to handle this. Best let 'em idle along till ya have it fully sorted out, THEN communicate. All of the above is simply an example of how, post race, a driver and/or his team is going to be able to say - They told me/us we were in second. Not really true, but certainly "interpretable" based on the words passed.

Then there was - allowing a restart with the 55 in the second physical position after clearly communicating (right or wrong is not relevant) "you're 12th". THAT was friggin' stupid. STUPID! An absolute, I know nothing about this sport idiot could have said - " I'm an absolute, I know nothing about this sport idiot, but gee willikers, I'd bet my sisters front tooth that that cat is gonna destroy the fella in front of 'im". BUSH!! (Yes that's spelled right).

Then there is Robby Gordon - tremendous racing talent. Egomaniac. Sleeping in a self made bed. How does it go? - Wonderful example of a self made person, while equally demonstrated the results of unskilled labor.

[Mike24]

The issue is Robby was being an idiot after the race, acting like he won when he didn't. It was a total disrespect for the sport and the winner of the race. He should be parked next week also.

[jks812]

I didn't agree with it when they done it to Harvick and I don't agree with it now. What happens in one series has nothing to do with the others. Suspend them from the series it happened in and fine them and take points from that series, thats fine. But what did yesterdays race have to do with todays?

[Mike24]

Originally Posted by jks812

I didn't agree with it when they done it to Harvick and I don't agree with it now. What happens in one series has nothing to do with the others. Suspend them from the series it happened in and fine them and take points from that series, thats fine. But what did yesterdays race have to do with todays?

Yesterdays race was a disrespect to the sport in general. Robby has destroyed his image once again, which he seems to be good at.

[jks812]

Originally Posted by Mike24

Robby has destroyed his image once again, which he seems to be good at.

I take it you're not watching Raceday? The fans there don't seem to agree with it either.

[Mike24]

Originally Posted by jks812

I take it you're not watching Raceday? The fans there don't seem to agree with it either.

The fans will find anyway to bash NASCAR, so I'm not surprised.

[Smoke842]

JKS, you said it! This sucks, this really sucks. I didn't know that Nascar told him to go to 2nd then changed their mind. What Tony said last week and got fined for? That word and a lot worse. IMO the only reason a driver should be suspended is for rough or dangerous driving. Not this.

[Lefty Noob]

Maybe my thinking is colored in that I follow things like the NFL, NBA and MLB more than NASCAR, but... bad calls happen in sports. And when a player or a manager disagrees with the call and argues it with the officials, often times they get ejected out of a game and suspended for one or two events. And if a player gets thrown out of an event, even if it was a BS call, they have to leave in an orderly fashion or they risk a longer suspension. That's just how it it. Whether Gordon was in the right or the wrong to begin with was irrelevant. He was disqualified and refused to leave the "playing field" so to speak. Of course the sanctioning body is going to suspend him, as they should. That's just one novice NASCAR fan's opinion.

[Racer Duck]

in addition to what Lefty just said, remember Robbie is also the owner and as such is responsible for his driver's actions - a double whammy, if you please. NASCAR is completely within their legal rights to deny any car owned by Robbie to compete in any division. they chose only to deny the driver. he got off lucky .. we'll find out Tuesday how lucky - but I suspect his comfortable perch in the Chosen will be in jeopardy.

[LSC9901]

I didn't see the race but I was under the impression that there were less than 3 laps left in the race and legally you have 3 laps before the scoring actually stops for you, so.... was he within his rights to remain on the track ??

[3fanforever]

That's what Robbie said when they interviewed him today before the race.
He said something to the effect of: "I always thought we had 3 laps to make a black flag, guess not anymore."