UDPATE 3: NASCAR announced that the #8 Chevy team has been penalized and fined for rule violations committed last week at Darlington. The #8 team was found to have violated Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing), 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment used do not conform to NASCAR rules), and 20-3.1.3B (the NASCAR-approved upper and lower rear wing mounting brackets must not be modified to obtain a rear-wing angle of less than zero degrees or more than 16 degrees) of the 2007 NASCAR rule book. Crew chief Tony Eury Jr., has been fined $100,000 and suspended from NASCAR until July 4, 2007 which includes this weekend’s Nextel All-Star Challenge and the next six Nextel Cup Series events. He has also been placed on probation until Dec. 31, 2007. Driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., has been penalized with the loss of 100 Championship Driver points. Car owner Teresa Earnhardt has been penalized with the loss of 100 Championship Owner points. The violations were found during pre-race inspection on May 12.(NASCAR PR)
DEI Statement: Dale Earnhardt, Inc. issued the following statement:“The car in question was a brand new car for the #8 team and the brackets that were found to be nonconforming were built as test pieces before the final design was established by NASCAR. They should not have been on the car and with Tony Eury Jr. away from the track Thursday during inspection, the error was not caught. We do not question the infraction which is clearly spelled out in the NASCAR rule book. However, we have appealed the severity of the penalty.”(DEI PR)(5-15-2007)
Comments from Eury: Tony Eury, Jr. spoke with PRN's Garage Pass concerning the punishment NASCAR hit him and the DEI #8 team with.
What is your reaction to the penalties?
“It was not a performance deal, we documented wind tunnel reports to show that, but the fact of the matter is it was not a NASCAR approved part. It was an honest mistake, but it was a big mistake. From my standpoint, I think it’s pretty crazy if you compare it to some of the other things that have happened over the year.
Will you appeal?
“Yeah I’m going to appeal it, just for the severity of the penalty. I know the part was wrong, but six weeks and a hundred grand that’s kind of ridiculous. Three years ago it would have a two thousand dollar fine.”
What about the team?
I’m perfectly happy with my team. I left them with 10 races to go and they did fine. I’m a 100-percent behind them. Tony Gibson will be the crew chief and I’m just one piece of the team. I’ve got a great group of guys and they’ll do just fine.”
Did you expect the penalty to be so harsh?
“They’ve been headed that way but where do they draw the line, where do they stop? But, like I told John Darby it was an honest mistake, but it’s a big one, so whatever he wanted to throw out, throw it. They’re going to set an example out of somebody. People think we get away with more than anybody so I kind of expected it. I expected the worse.”(PRNs Garage Pass)(5-15-2007)
POINTS:: the 100 pts penalty drops #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. out of the Chase and to 14th in Drivers Points, now 721 behind the leader and 54 pts out of the Chase and vaults #26-Jamie McMurray into 12th and the final Chase spot. See the updated standing on my Drivers/Owners Pts standings after Darlington [and the penalty](5-15-2007)
DEI Statement: Dale Earnhardt, Inc. issued the following statement:“The car in question was a brand new car for the #8 team and the brackets that were found to be nonconforming were built as test pieces before the final design was established by NASCAR. They should not have been on the car and with Tony Eury Jr. away from the track Thursday during inspection, the error was not caught. We do not question the infraction which is clearly spelled out in the NASCAR rule book. However, we have appealed the severity of the penalty.”(DEI PR)(5-15-2007)
Comments from Eury: Tony Eury, Jr. spoke with PRN's Garage Pass concerning the punishment NASCAR hit him and the DEI #8 team with.
What is your reaction to the penalties?
“It was not a performance deal, we documented wind tunnel reports to show that, but the fact of the matter is it was not a NASCAR approved part. It was an honest mistake, but it was a big mistake. From my standpoint, I think it’s pretty crazy if you compare it to some of the other things that have happened over the year.
Will you appeal?
“Yeah I’m going to appeal it, just for the severity of the penalty. I know the part was wrong, but six weeks and a hundred grand that’s kind of ridiculous. Three years ago it would have a two thousand dollar fine.”
What about the team?
I’m perfectly happy with my team. I left them with 10 races to go and they did fine. I’m a 100-percent behind them. Tony Gibson will be the crew chief and I’m just one piece of the team. I’ve got a great group of guys and they’ll do just fine.”
Did you expect the penalty to be so harsh?
“They’ve been headed that way but where do they draw the line, where do they stop? But, like I told John Darby it was an honest mistake, but it’s a big one, so whatever he wanted to throw out, throw it. They’re going to set an example out of somebody. People think we get away with more than anybody so I kind of expected it. I expected the worse.”(PRNs Garage Pass)(5-15-2007)
POINTS:: the 100 pts penalty drops #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. out of the Chase and to 14th in Drivers Points, now 721 behind the leader and 54 pts out of the Chase and vaults #26-Jamie McMurray into 12th and the final Chase spot. See the updated standing on my Drivers/Owners Pts standings after Darlington [and the penalty](5-15-2007)
