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Truth or PR?
Likely a little of both, but it is undeniable that the tech process is tougher than it has ever been. except for for Rusty's comments, which he has now softened, I have heard no real complaints from the teams on the validity of Darby's comments.
Garage Boss running inspection with iron fist
By JENNA FRYER
Associated Press Sports Writer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- John Darby flings open the doors of the NASCAR hauler, looks around slowly and takes one last drag on his cigarette. Then he steps out into his garage.
NASCAR's second-year Winston Cup director weaves his way through the stalled snake of cars waiting in the inspection line, making frequent stops to explain a rule or listen to a gripe.
These days, there are many complaints -- new templates and a strict set of guidelines enforced by Darby have made it next to impossible for cheaters to sneak anything through NASCAR inspection.
Headed into this week's race at Las Vegas, teams are terrified they'll spend most of Friday in the inspection line, unable to pass and get on the track in time to practice.
"They should be worried, because the teams that bring cars that aren't correct to Las Vegas stand a great potential of losing part -- maybe even all -- of their practice time," Darby said.
Under the rules, cars that don't practice aren't allowed to make qualifying runs -- and therefore, not allowed to race.
Of course, Darby has the power to waive that rule, but his point is being made loud and clear: It's his garage, he's running it with a stern hand, and the days of getting ahead by sneaking something past NASCAR are coming to an end.
Under his policies, Darby has eliminated much of the paranoia teams have felt amid suspicions that another group was receiving favorable treatment.
Infractions are discovered and followed by swift fines. Last year, during Darby's first season as NASCAR's garage boss, the sanctioning body began taking points away as part of the punishment process.
He treats everyone equal, regardless of the crime or the circumstances.
When Mark Martin was found to have an illegal spring in November, the team lost 25 points in the middle of a championship race despite claims that the part was defective when it was delivered.
Darby believed Martin's crew was not cheating, just as he feels Rusty Wallace's illegal carburetor at Daytona two weeks ago was also a result of human error.
But both teams were punished, regardless of how solid their defenses were.
"You cannot even let that enter the equation. You look at every situation in black and white and with tunnel vision," Darby said. "You have to do that because the only thing everyone really wants is clearly written rules that everyone has to abide by."
That's what he's created with an intense inspection process that teams are still struggling to adjust to.
Through the first two races this year, teams have struggled to build cars that meet the new interlocking templates being used by NASCAR. For instance, the templates measure a car down its length as well as across its width at the same time, and very little deviance is accepted.
Getting the field inspected at the season-opening Daytona 500 took more than 14 hours.
Because the process was so slow, Darby opened North Carolina Speedway a day early last week to go over it again with the teams.
At the end of the five-hour inspection period, only 21 of 43 cars had earned the fluorescent green sticker needed in the center of the windshield to show a car is legal to go onto the track.
Those that passed could move on and begin preparing for Friday's practice session. The ones that failed were stuck making changes to the car, losing valuable time to rivals who had already gotten a sticker.
"I'm a law-abiding citizen," crew chief Chad Knaus boasted as he waved his clean checklist in the air after pushing Jimmie Johnson's car through the tech line in one try.
"It's amazing we got through because the process is so strict this year. There is almost no tolerance for anything in the line."
Teams won't have nearly as much time to work with the inspectors this Friday. Darby isn't allowing any more flexibility, meaning the entire field will be expected to pass through in under four hours.
Darby will have little tolerance for cars that fail.
"The majority of the garage has worked hard to get in line with what we want and are adapting very well and those are the people we have to protect," he said. "People who still want to defy us and test the system, those are people we don't have any compassion for."
The days of tinkering with shocks and springs, manipulating weight or looking for loopholes in the rule book are coming to a close.
Darby's office in the back of the NASCAR hauler is a revolving door of crew chiefs, all bringing parts into the truck while looking for reasons why it was rejected in tech.
Crew chiefs complain their creativity is being stifled by the inspections, and that any edge they used to look for can't make it this season.
Surprisingly, that's OK with most of them.
"NASCAR warned us it would be strict, and it has been," said Ben Leslie, Martin's crew chief. "We don't have to like it, but as long as NASCAR sticks to what they are doing and are being consistent and treating us all alike, none of us can complain."
Likely a little of both, but it is undeniable that the tech process is tougher than it has ever been. except for for Rusty's comments, which he has now softened, I have heard no real complaints from the teams on the validity of Darby's comments.
Garage Boss running inspection with iron fist
By JENNA FRYER
Associated Press Sports Writer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- John Darby flings open the doors of the NASCAR hauler, looks around slowly and takes one last drag on his cigarette. Then he steps out into his garage.
NASCAR's second-year Winston Cup director weaves his way through the stalled snake of cars waiting in the inspection line, making frequent stops to explain a rule or listen to a gripe.
These days, there are many complaints -- new templates and a strict set of guidelines enforced by Darby have made it next to impossible for cheaters to sneak anything through NASCAR inspection.
Headed into this week's race at Las Vegas, teams are terrified they'll spend most of Friday in the inspection line, unable to pass and get on the track in time to practice.
"They should be worried, because the teams that bring cars that aren't correct to Las Vegas stand a great potential of losing part -- maybe even all -- of their practice time," Darby said.
Under the rules, cars that don't practice aren't allowed to make qualifying runs -- and therefore, not allowed to race.
Of course, Darby has the power to waive that rule, but his point is being made loud and clear: It's his garage, he's running it with a stern hand, and the days of getting ahead by sneaking something past NASCAR are coming to an end.
Under his policies, Darby has eliminated much of the paranoia teams have felt amid suspicions that another group was receiving favorable treatment.
Infractions are discovered and followed by swift fines. Last year, during Darby's first season as NASCAR's garage boss, the sanctioning body began taking points away as part of the punishment process.
He treats everyone equal, regardless of the crime or the circumstances.
When Mark Martin was found to have an illegal spring in November, the team lost 25 points in the middle of a championship race despite claims that the part was defective when it was delivered.
Darby believed Martin's crew was not cheating, just as he feels Rusty Wallace's illegal carburetor at Daytona two weeks ago was also a result of human error.
But both teams were punished, regardless of how solid their defenses were.
"You cannot even let that enter the equation. You look at every situation in black and white and with tunnel vision," Darby said. "You have to do that because the only thing everyone really wants is clearly written rules that everyone has to abide by."
That's what he's created with an intense inspection process that teams are still struggling to adjust to.
Through the first two races this year, teams have struggled to build cars that meet the new interlocking templates being used by NASCAR. For instance, the templates measure a car down its length as well as across its width at the same time, and very little deviance is accepted.
Getting the field inspected at the season-opening Daytona 500 took more than 14 hours.
Because the process was so slow, Darby opened North Carolina Speedway a day early last week to go over it again with the teams.
At the end of the five-hour inspection period, only 21 of 43 cars had earned the fluorescent green sticker needed in the center of the windshield to show a car is legal to go onto the track.
Those that passed could move on and begin preparing for Friday's practice session. The ones that failed were stuck making changes to the car, losing valuable time to rivals who had already gotten a sticker.
"I'm a law-abiding citizen," crew chief Chad Knaus boasted as he waved his clean checklist in the air after pushing Jimmie Johnson's car through the tech line in one try.
"It's amazing we got through because the process is so strict this year. There is almost no tolerance for anything in the line."
Teams won't have nearly as much time to work with the inspectors this Friday. Darby isn't allowing any more flexibility, meaning the entire field will be expected to pass through in under four hours.
Darby will have little tolerance for cars that fail.
"The majority of the garage has worked hard to get in line with what we want and are adapting very well and those are the people we have to protect," he said. "People who still want to defy us and test the system, those are people we don't have any compassion for."
The days of tinkering with shocks and springs, manipulating weight or looking for loopholes in the rule book are coming to a close.
Darby's office in the back of the NASCAR hauler is a revolving door of crew chiefs, all bringing parts into the truck while looking for reasons why it was rejected in tech.
Crew chiefs complain their creativity is being stifled by the inspections, and that any edge they used to look for can't make it this season.
Surprisingly, that's OK with most of them.
"NASCAR warned us it would be strict, and it has been," said Ben Leslie, Martin's crew chief. "We don't have to like it, but as long as NASCAR sticks to what they are doing and are being consistent and treating us all alike, none of us can complain."
