Harvik to the back on sunday

Bucky Badger

Bucky Badger

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Just heard on trackside no fuel overflow tube on the car after qualifing..... His time not allowed.
 
TexasRaceLady said:
You'd think the team would learn.

I mean, how hard is it to see that the overflow tube is not sticking out the back of the car?

Stupid.
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They insisted it was on the car when they left the pits, but there in no proof it was there. :eek:
 
Is Berrier still his crew chief ?? If so, RC has got to be getting tired of this.
 
Trouble at Talladega
Crew chief banned after Harvick's car fails inspection
Posted: Saturday October 1, 2005 12:56PM; Updated: Saturday October 1, 2005 12:56PM

TALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) -- Crew chief Todd Berrier was suspended for Sunday's race at Talladega Superspeedway after Kevin Harvick's car failed inspection.

Harvick qualified second for the race, but his Chevrolet was disqualified after NASCAR found three violations in the trunk area. Car owner Richard Childress was called into the NASCAR office Saturday morning and told that Berrier had been ordered from the track.

It's not clear how long the suspension will last. Berrier sat out four races at the beginning of this season when he was caught rigging Harvick's fuel tank. He also was fined $25,000 and the team was docked points.

Childress spent an hour arguing with NASCAR on Berrier's behalf.

"If I said what I wanted to say right now I'd probably be in bigger trouble than Todd," Childress said. "All I can say is it's a new era in NASCAR."

Harvick's car failed inspection Friday because the trunk area was not properly sealed, the fuel vent was not vented to the outside of the car and doors that open from the inside of the trunk to the car's shock absorbers were open when they should have been closed.

He will now start 42nd on Sunday and Childress said he would move on top of the pit box to help call Harvick's race. Childress did the same thing during Berrier's first suspension and the team responded by winning the race in Bristol, Tenn.

Berrier's punishment comes amid a swirling controversy surrounding the 1-2 finish last weekend of Hendrick Motorsports drivers Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch. Both cars failed their immediate inspection when both were too high when first measured.

NASCAR gave the cars a brief amount of time to "settle," and the cars then shifted back to a legal height.

Although the teams were not penalized, NASCAR seized their shock absorbers to take a closer look at them. While ruling the parts were legal, NASCAR issued a bulletin Saturday that prohibits them from future use.

Many competitors were angry the Hendrick teams were not penalized, especially Childress.

Both Johnson and Busch failed inspection in March -- the same weekend Harvick did -- and NASCAR suspended all three crew chiefs. But Chad Knaus and Alan Gustafson had their suspensions overturned on appeal, creating a fury over alleged special treatment.

Childress wouldn't address that Saturday, and said his anger was directed "at the system. I'm very, very disappointed in the system."

NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter denied favoritism and said that Berrier was sent home because "a person's history comes into play."

That was echoed by competition director Robin Pemberton, who said NASCAR is following a warning issued last week by president Mike Helton that it will no longer tolerate bad behavior and cheating.

"These were repeat offenders," Pemberton said.

That was of little solace to NASCAR competitors, who are angry and confused over NASCAR's decision not to punish the Hendrick drivers.

"The first two cars last week are so obviously doing something on the race track that is of benefit to them, then they don't pass inspection and they're allowed to sit there and jump up and down on their cars and do whatever they need to do to get through?" asked an incredulous Dale Jarrett.

"I didn't realize they had a 24-hour period they could wait for these things to settle down. I'm fired up about this. I don't understand it."

Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
 
Harvick's car failed inspection Friday because the trunk area was not properly sealed, the fuel vent was not vented to the outside of the car and doors that open from the inside of the trunk to the car's shock absorbers were open when they should have been closed.

Do these things in any way affect the way the car handles????? Are any of these things an unfair advantage ????? Or just safety issues??????? I just plain don't get this.

"A persons history comes into play" ..thats funny..... about half the team have been caught for something this year.....Nascar is just getting silly........
 
dsdjtlts said:
Harvick's car failed inspection Friday because the trunk area was not properly sealed, the fuel vent was not vented to the outside of the car and doors that open from the inside of the trunk to the car's shock absorbers were open when they should have been closed.

Do these things in any way affect the way the car handles????? Are any of these things an unfair advantage ????? Or just safety issues??????? I just plain don't get this.
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Me too.

It would seem to me that if the door were open to view, or work on the shocks from the trunk area, that would mean air could also accumulate on the trunk area, causing the trunk lid to become unsealed (?), maybe even knocking the overflow tube off (?), but also wouldn't it create a 'parachute' effect at almost 200 mph? Actually slowing the car? I don't see the advantage, that's for sure.

Sounds to me like someone did some last second adjusting on the shocks, and forgot to close the doors before qualifying, if the hypothesis above holds true.

- k y l e
 
Kyle48 said:
Me too.

It would seem to me that if the door were open to view, or work on the shocks from the trunk area, that would mean air could also accumulate on the trunk area, causing the trunk lid to become unsealed (?), maybe even knocking the overflow tube off (?), but also wouldn't it create a 'parachute' effect at almost 200 mph? Actually slowing the car? I don't see the advantage, that's for sure.

Sounds to me like someone did some last second adjusting on the shocks, and forgot to close the doors before qualifying, if the hypothesis above holds true.

- k y l e
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Could be a simple error on the part of a crew member....
If Johnson/Busch were given more than one chance at passing inspection maybe Nascar needs to do the same with all drivers..especially in this case where there is no obvious advantage...
Nascar drives me nuts ... guess Harvick is being used as the example and warning to the other drivers to behave.......
 
Quote from Jim Hunter, Nascar VP of communications...""Our guys think that what was done would help Harvicks team or give them an advantage over everyone else in qualifying."""

Now what Johnson/Busch did, of course, did not give them an advantage over the other competitors....

Selective punishment
 
How long is Berrier suspended? Seems the Hendrick teams get a slap on the wrist, Harvick loses his crew chief. They have been making an example out of Harvick since he entered Cup racing.
 
This one really has the drivers and owners up in the air over NASCAR's "fair handed" punishments. Dale Jarrett is just livid about it and I don't blame them. But of course, NASCAR does what NASCAR wants and if the teams don't like it, they can take their cars and race elsewhere. :rolleyes:
 
My understanding is that air travels under the car and lifts it up, the open compartments allowed air in and escaped (although very little) through the gas vent thus allowing the rear of the car to lower more than it would with a sealed trunk. Brilliant, but cheating. I love these crew chiefs ingenuity.
 
dsdjtlts said:
Quote from Jim Hunter, Nascar VP of communications...""Our guys think that what was done would help Harvicks team or give them an advantage over everyone else in qualifying."""
Now what Johnson/Busch did, of course, did not give them an advantage over the other competitors....
Selective punishment
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The rules clearly state the trunk area must be sealed. It wasn't and that is a direct violation. Ingenious, yes, but done in specific violation of the regulations.

Although the intent with Johnson and Busch (and others using similar setups on the shocks ) was to gain advantage, the shocks on the 48 and 5 cars were within the legal parameters of NASCAR rules. They basically operated opposite of original manufacturer design intent, but no where in the NASCAR rule book is it considered a violation as they returned to normal required height within the specified time frame and without assistance.
Harvick's car did not conform to specifically stated NASCAR regulations.
Ergo, not selective.
 
Whizzer said:
The rules clearly state the trunk area must be sealed. It wasn't and that is a direct violation. Ingenious, yes, but done in specific violation of the regulations.

Although the intent with Johnson and Busch (and others using similar setups on the shocks ) was to gain advantage, the shocks on the 48 and 5 cars were within the legal parameters of NASCAR rules. They basically operated opposite of original manufacturer design intent, but no where in the NASCAR rule book is it considered a violation as they returned to normal required height within the specified time frame and without assistance.
Harvick's car did not conform to specifically stated NASCAR regulations.
Ergo, not selective.
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Nascar does, has and always will perform "selective punishment"---not necessarily this particular incident. As far as Johnson/Busch goes..well...they were legal, Nascar needs to just shut up about legal equipment.Saying something like "not in the spirit of racing" is stupidity. The spirit of racing is to race, find the "edge" (legally) and win, which is exactly what they did.
 
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