Chad Knaus Fined

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mlitefan01

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- NASCAR officials announced today that Chad Knaus, crew chief for the No. 48 Chevrolet that competes in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, has been fined $2,500 for rule violations on May 23 before qualifying for the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway (held May 25).

The No. 48, driven by Jimmie Johnson, was in violation of Section 12-4-A in the NASCAR Winston Cup rule book (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and Section 12-4-Q (unapproved use of refrigerant near the fuel system).


You have to wonder how bad it really was....
 
How bad could it be. He was only fined twenty-five hundred dollars and the infraction was found prior to qualifying. In any event the engine in the 48 car blew up and had to be changed anyway, so basically, no harm, no foul. Refrigerant close to the fuel supply is of no advantage.

Every team in NASCAR is working the rule book to the limit. The difference is, this time the 48 team got caught in violation and must pay the fine. Next time it could be the 8, 97, 88, 29, 20, or any other team since they all seek an advantage.
Just some "good ole boys" doin' what comes naturally in racin'. :D
 
I think it's time for NASCAR to act like a real sanctioning body...if you get caught cheating they take the race win, points and prize money away! Then and only then, will it be the best team/driver that will be a winner, not giving it to the guy who got the "call" that week.
 
Originally posted by redrock@May 28 2003, 12:23 PM
I think it's time for NASCAR to act like a real sanctioning body...if you get caught cheating they take the race win, points and prize money away! Then and only then, will it be the best team/driver that will be a winner, not giving it to the guy who got the "call" that week.
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I might agree somewhat if it was found during postrace not pre qualifying.
 
Actually, cooling the fuel makes it denser, more fuel in the same area, i.e. lines, carb, or intake manifold. Cooling those items off with refrigerant just before going out to qualify will certainly make a measurable difference in power; at least on the first lap.

Problem is most liquid refrigerants are not kind to the atmosphere when they are simply released like that. In fact it is illegal to just release most refrigerants into the atmosphere; they are supposed to be recycled.
Some of them if burned (drawn through a running engine for example) are chemically changed into deadly compounds (similar to mustard gas) as well. It would be possible to seriously injure or even kill anyone in the area who was unlucky enough to inhale those chemicals if that were to happen.

In short, the use of this stuff is not for folks who are not properly trained to use it. That's why only certified technicians can legally buy most of these refrigerant compounds now and I seriously doubt that many of the NASCAR mechanics have that training.
 
Originally posted by boB@May 28 2003, 09:06 AM
Actually, cooling the fuel makes it denser, more fuel in the same area, i.e. lines, carb, or intake manifold. Cooling those items off with refrigerant just before going out to qualify will certainly make a measurable difference in power; at least on the first lap.
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too bad his engine blew.. so i say leave as is.. but i agree with the fine,
 
Agreed to have the fuel line run where the refrigerant is coldest would be beneficial. I recall using a coiled copper fuel line (similar to a still) thru a number 10 can filled with ice to cool the gas, but the stock we were running wouldn't have run any faster with a flare up its butt. It was the thought that counted and in our case, thoughts didn't win races. Well, actually it did win races, two to be exact. And the car was on the edge of the rule book, depending on who presented the best argument. We won one discussion in 1956 and another in 1957.

If the refrigerant was being used to directly cool a fuel line and the refrigerant was then released into the air my guess is NASCAR would have had a tougher penalty instead of a slap on the wrist. Giving consideration to previous penalties, e.g., a spring one-eighth to short, brought a fine nearly ten times the amount charged against Knaus and a loss of owner and driver points.

Unless there has been additional information released, I didn't get the idea cooling the fuel was the intent but then again, I ain't into modern day devious methods and anything is possible. :rolleyes:
 
They detected it before qualifying so it didnt help him at all.
The fine was a good call.
 
I think Rusty was charged some points with an infraction found in pre-qualifying inspection this year wasn't he?
 
It's too bad that Jimmy can't win a race with out some sort of fine involved. Both races at Charlotte- 2 weeks in a row. Makes a person go Hmmmmmm.........
 
Originally posted by bowtie@May 28 2003, 04:38 PM
I think Rusty was charged some points with an infraction found in pre-qualifying inspection this year wasn't he?
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JJ was the first driver to be fined for pre race inspections, dont you remember last year. I dont think hes getting special treatment.
 
Originally posted by Roselady3@May 28 2003, 07:09 PM
It's too bad that Jimmy can't win a race with out some sort of fine involved. Both races at Charlotte- 2 weeks in a row. Makes a person go Hmmmmmm.........
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what was the fine for last week????
 
Two Crew Chiefs Fined: NASCAR fined two Winston Cup crew chiefs from actions at The Winston. #40 crew chief, Lee McCall was fined $10,000 for an improper weight attached on the #40 Coors Light Dodge. #48 crew chief, Chad Knaus was fined $1,000 for an unapproved air directional device.(Fox Sports Net - Totally NASCAR)(5-20-2003)
 
At the risk of repeating myself, please permit me the luxury of being redundant through replication while becoming cyclic.

NO DRIVER OR TEAM IS EXEMPT FROM PENALTIES ASSESSED FOR USING AN "INNOVATIVE" INTERPRETATION OF THE RULE BOOK.

The winner of the very first NASCAR sanctioned race was declared illegal and since then, Dale Earnhardt, Sr., Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, Rusty Wallace, Tony Stewart, Jimmy Johnson, Johnnie Benson, Mark Martin, Ward & Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, any and all of the drivers past and present have violated the intent of the rule book at one time or another. Some teams get caught and others slip through. Those who slip through get caught the next time. The driver gets the blame although in some cases, the crew chief holds the ultimate responsibility. Some offenses are ridiculous and some dangerous. One thing is guaranteed in the inspections by NASCAR today, there are more offenders caught than at any time in the history if the sport. NASCAR has tightened the entire inspection process both before qualifying and after completion of the race for anyone with NASCAR credentials to observe.

IMO, if Jimmy Johnson's team did in fact us a refrigerant while releasing it in open air, the fine should have been no less than twenty-five thousand dollars, not for the rule violation but the hazardous element to the environment. Federal law has a specific civil penalty for an open-air release of a refrigerant. Let's see what happens under that umbrella.

For any one person to think Jimmy Johnson is unique in NASCAR inspections uncovering inconsistencies according to NASCAR rules, keep in mind the old adage, "let he who is without sin cast the first stone".

With that in mind, how did your favorite driver make out? Did they pass the test ? :rolleyes:
 
Originally posted by majestyx@May 29 2003, 10:07 AM
Thank you, Roselady3. I had not seen or heard of any fines from the Winston.
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- NASCAR took the unique step of confiscating an engine from Dale Jarrett's team as a result of a rules violation during the running of The Winston last weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

In addition, the crew chiefs for Jimmie Johnson and Sterling Marlin were fined for violations.

Jarrett's team had requested an engine change per the guidelines set forth in the Winston Cup rule book, but NASCAR officials deemed the change "was not warranted," according to a statement released Tuesday.

In addition to being moved to the rear of the field for the race, NASCAR confiscated the engine.

Per NASCAR rules, teams have to use the "same long block engine assembly for the entire Event" -- practice, qualifying and the race.

Jarrett started 22nd of 24 cars and was eliminated after the second segment. He finished 18th and won $65,804.

Johnson won $1,017,604 for winning, but crew chief Chad Knaus' wallet is $1,000 lighter after a fine for an "unapproved air directional device" discovered in pre-qualifying inspection.

Lee McCall, Marlin's crew chief, was fined $10,000 for having "improperly attached weight" on Marlin's No. 40 Dodge. The violation was also found in pre-qualifying inspection. Marlin finished 12th in The Winston, the final car running at the finish.

Knaus and McCall were fined under Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and Section 12-4-Q (Any determination by NASCAR Officials that parts and/or equipment in the Event do not conform to NASCAR rules) of the Winston Cup rule book.
From Nascar.com
 
Originally posted by smack500+May 28 2003, 06:10 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (smack500 @ May 28 2003, 06:10 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin--bowtie@May 28 2003, 04:38 PM
I think Rusty was charged some points with an infraction found in pre-qualifying inspection this year wasn't he?
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JJ was the first driver to be fined for pre race inspections, dont you remember last year. I dont think hes getting special treatment. [/b][/quote]
I had forgotten about the Rusty deal, wasn't he docked points for a pre-race penalty? Can someone help me out here? Refresh this old guys memory, been supporting my driver a little too much lately :)
 
Dee, I did see that. The part regardin' Knaus' fine was so light, I completely forgot about it. I did remember the motor seizure of DJ's though. That seems a harsher fine that the last two fines that Knaus received, at least to me anyhow. :wacko:
 
That's Nascar's rule book for ya, confiscate one driver's motor, but just fine the other driver's crew cheif, $1000. Seems almost fair to me. :unsure:
 
Just think what they would have done if Knaus was a crew chief for an Earnhardt. What do you think would have happened to him? Nothing?
 
Originally posted by mlitefan01+May 29 2003, 12:41 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (mlitefan01 @ May 29 2003, 12:41 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>
Originally posted by -smack500@May 28 2003, 06:10 PM
<!--QuoteBegin--bowtie
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@May 28 2003, 04:38 PM
I think Rusty was charged some points with an infraction found in pre-qualifying inspection this year wasn't he?
Click to expand...

JJ was the first driver to be fined for pre race inspections, dont you remember last year. I dont think hes getting special treatment.
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I had forgotten about the Rusty deal, wasn't he docked points for a pre-race penalty? Can someone help me out here? Refresh this old guys memory, been supporting my driver a little too much lately :) [/b][/quote]
If I recall right, JJ was the first one docked points for pre race inspections, followed by rusty wallace and mark martin.
 
POINTS PENALTIES in 2002
Driver /Crew Chief/ Track /Points Deducted/ Fine/ Reason
#6-Mark Martin /Ben Leslie/ Rockingham 11/3/ 25 /$5,000 /unapproved left front spring
#22-Ward Burton/ Frank Stoddard /Martinsville 10/20/ 25/ $10,000/ unapproved front springs
#2-Rusty Wallace /Billy Wilburn/ Talladega 10/6/ 25/ $25,000/ unapproved spoiler
#30-Jeff Green /Todd Berrier/ Richmond 9/7/ 25 /$5,000/ unapproved left front spring
#88-Dale Jarrett /Todd Parrott /NHIS 7/21 /25 /$25,000/ 1/8th of an inch too low
#48-Jimmie Johnson/ Chad Knaus /Daytona 7/6/ 25 /$25,000/ offset mounting bolts

http://jayski.thatsracin.com/pages/penalties.htm
 
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