Tweaks after COT certification will result in stiff penalties
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Lee Spencer / FOXSports.com
Posted: 3 minutes ago
BRISTOL, Tenn. - NASCAR spent nearly 12 hours inspecting 49 cars on Thursday for Sunday's Food City 500.
"If the track had played the Beach Boys over the loud speaker and had car hops delivering burgers and fries, it would have been just like any other car show," said Roush Fenway Racing's engineering manager Chris Andrews. "Everyone was walking around just checking out the other cars."
As expected, the inspection process took nearly twice as long as the usual 40-minute process. But Billy Berkheimer, NASCAR template manager, said the teams hit "all the hard points we were standing on" and no one missed the critical areas by more than 70/1000s of an inch.
"The front module, that holds the identity templates, was the only area of concern because the teams are still working in that area," Berkheimer added. "The manufacturers are trying to come up with a way to make their pieces fit the tolerances better. But over all things went pretty smoothly. Even John (Nextel Cup Series director Darby) was surprised we got through so fast."
Speaking of Darby, before teams gingerly rolled out for the first Car of Tomorrow practice on Friday, NASCAR passed out two amendments to the 2007 Nextel Cup Rule Book focusing on the certification and the subsequent penalties that could follow.
NASCAR made it clear that "once a car, car component, an engine, engine component, or any other parts or related equipment has passed certification by NASCAR, the above must not be altered, modified, repaired or changed in any manner without notification to NASCAR at which time NASCAR may require the recertification of the car, car component, engine, engine components, or any other parts or related equipment before reusing the above in further competition."
NASCAR added that penalties would be determined due to the gravity of the violation. However, "if in the judgment of NASCAR officials" anything in the above areas had been modified, "a minimum fine of $100,000 and/or disqualification and/or the loss of a minimum of 100 Championship Driver and Car Owner points, and/or loss of the opportunity to qualify, and/or the loss of a pre-determined starting position in the Event, and/or loss of a provisional starting position in the Event, and/or probation, and/or suspension of any NASCAR Member(s) may be assessed."
With the time and expense spent by both the teams and NASCAR to have chassis certified at the tech center and the additional effort that goes into inspecting cars before competition, it's understandable why organizations are being threatened with six-figure fines and disqualification.
Teams might end up referring to the amendments as the Michael Waltrip rules considering the new fines are in line with MWR's punishment following "Fuelgate 2007" at Daytona where Bobby Kennedy, VP of competition, and crew chief David Hyder were ejected from the track and suspended indefinitely. Hyder was fined $100,000 and both Waltrip and his wife/team owner Buffy were both docked 100 points. Waltrip's qualifying time was also disallowed and he was forced to start at the rear of the field for his Gatorade Duel.
Story Tools:
Print Email Blog This Subscribe
Lee Spencer / FOXSports.com
Posted: 3 minutes ago
BRISTOL, Tenn. - NASCAR spent nearly 12 hours inspecting 49 cars on Thursday for Sunday's Food City 500.
"If the track had played the Beach Boys over the loud speaker and had car hops delivering burgers and fries, it would have been just like any other car show," said Roush Fenway Racing's engineering manager Chris Andrews. "Everyone was walking around just checking out the other cars."
As expected, the inspection process took nearly twice as long as the usual 40-minute process. But Billy Berkheimer, NASCAR template manager, said the teams hit "all the hard points we were standing on" and no one missed the critical areas by more than 70/1000s of an inch.
"The front module, that holds the identity templates, was the only area of concern because the teams are still working in that area," Berkheimer added. "The manufacturers are trying to come up with a way to make their pieces fit the tolerances better. But over all things went pretty smoothly. Even John (Nextel Cup Series director Darby) was surprised we got through so fast."
Speaking of Darby, before teams gingerly rolled out for the first Car of Tomorrow practice on Friday, NASCAR passed out two amendments to the 2007 Nextel Cup Rule Book focusing on the certification and the subsequent penalties that could follow.
NASCAR made it clear that "once a car, car component, an engine, engine component, or any other parts or related equipment has passed certification by NASCAR, the above must not be altered, modified, repaired or changed in any manner without notification to NASCAR at which time NASCAR may require the recertification of the car, car component, engine, engine components, or any other parts or related equipment before reusing the above in further competition."
NASCAR added that penalties would be determined due to the gravity of the violation. However, "if in the judgment of NASCAR officials" anything in the above areas had been modified, "a minimum fine of $100,000 and/or disqualification and/or the loss of a minimum of 100 Championship Driver and Car Owner points, and/or loss of the opportunity to qualify, and/or the loss of a pre-determined starting position in the Event, and/or loss of a provisional starting position in the Event, and/or probation, and/or suspension of any NASCAR Member(s) may be assessed."
With the time and expense spent by both the teams and NASCAR to have chassis certified at the tech center and the additional effort that goes into inspecting cars before competition, it's understandable why organizations are being threatened with six-figure fines and disqualification.
Teams might end up referring to the amendments as the Michael Waltrip rules considering the new fines are in line with MWR's punishment following "Fuelgate 2007" at Daytona where Bobby Kennedy, VP of competition, and crew chief David Hyder were ejected from the track and suspended indefinitely. Hyder was fined $100,000 and both Waltrip and his wife/team owner Buffy were both docked 100 points. Waltrip's qualifying time was also disallowed and he was forced to start at the rear of the field for his Gatorade Duel.
