Unfair But Not Illegal?????

kat2220

kat2220

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NASCAR finds that Harvick, Burton had performance advantage

Race winner Kevin Harvick and his teammate, Jeff Burton, had a small glitch in post race tech Sunday night at Loudon.

That issue surrounded the actual rim of the racecar. The team apparently manipulated their rims to act as a bleeder valve to release air pressure from the rim.

In short track cars, late models and the like, the tires are equipped with a bleeder valve. These valves allow the tires to get to proper pressure. While bleeder valves are illegal in NASCAR competition, the No. 29 and the No. 31 teams skirted this rule by laser-cutting the rim to .003 of an inch in one part of the tire. This precisely placed cut allowed some air to escape from the rim, (as tires heat up, pressure builds) gaining a performance advantage.

While talk in the garage area was that several teams have done this, this is the first time that a team has actually been caught. Since the rims aren’t technically illegal, NASCAR is not expected to act, although the team was told not to bring the rims again. Expect a rule change this week.
 
:eek: I don't really see how NASCAR found that one, must be looking really close at stuff, but all in all, i dont see it having a HUGE effect on things.
 
Same here...

As it said - small glitch. I'm sure this is not the first time this has been done *cough*Johnson*cough*
 
this is what the reply was from NASCAR

NASCAR vice president Jim Hunter on Monday called a Speed TV report claiming the sanctioning body found issues with the cars of Nextel Cup Series winner Kevin Harvick or his Richard Childress Racing teammate Jeff Burton "sheer fantasy."



Speed TV reporter Bob Dillner reported late Sunday at New Hampshire that NASCAR officials had an issue with the wheel rims of both Harvick and Burtons' Chevrolets.



In the report, Dillner said, "The team apparently manipulated that rim to act as a bleeder valve to release air pressure from that rim. In English, it was performance advantage for the RCR team."



Dillner went on to say the teams didn't break any rule, but "have been told not to do it again."



Both NASCAR and RCR officials on Monday strongly denied the story.


Hunter denied anyone with either team was admonished about any questionable part and said both cars "completely passed post race inspection." NASCAR officials Sunday night also announced all cars had passed post race inspection.



Team owner Richard Childress called the report "false and misleading."


"Our cars passed post-race inspection and officials at NASCAR assured us last night and again today that no one from RCR was told at any time not to bring a part back to the race track. The reported events and conversations did not happen," Childress said.


Hunter said Dillner did not ask anyone with NASCAR about the issue before his report aired. "If he had, we would have told him the same thing," Hunter said.



"He didn't ask because he didn't want to know the answer. It was an example of sensational journalism at its worst."



Speed Channel officials planned to address the matter later Monday afternoon.
 
i dont know if they did or not but if they can get away with reading between the lines then more power to them. go 29 :beerbang:
 
Sounds like NASCAR is telling them (if it did happen) not to do it again. They did the same to Ray Evernham with Gordon's Jurassic Park car in The '96 (?) Winston. He did something to the chassis and ran away from the field. NASCAR said "Hey, that's a great car. Get rid of it."
 
Issue with #29 and #31 cars after race at NHIS UPDATE NASCAR denies; RCR statement: FoxSports/Speed's Bob Dilner reports: have learned that there was an issue with the winning car of #29-Kevin Harvick and also his teammate, #31-Jeff Burton, in postrace tech [at New Hampshire Intl Speedway in the Cup race]. That issue surrounded the actual [wheel] rim of the race car. The team apparently manipulated that rim to act as a bleeder valve to release air pressure from that rim. In English, it was performance advantage for the RCR team. Now, it was not against anything in the rule book so there won't be any fines or points penalties later on this week, but they have been told not to do it again.(more at FoxSports)(9-18-2006) UPDATE: Race winner Kevin Harvick and his teammate, Jeff Burton, did not have any problems in post race tech Sunday night at Loudon. Late Sunday night, it was reported that the Richard Childress Racing teams had manipulated their rims to act as a bleeder valve to release air pressure from the rim. According to NASCAR however, the issue of the rims never surfaced during post race tech. “We’ve been checking valves and valve stems for about 4 months now,” said Jim Hunter Vice President of Corporate Communications for NASCAR said Monday. “What it was, was one reporter trying to make something that wasn’t there. Then another reporter went on TV and reported it as fact, when it was actually totally untrue. It was one reporter’s unsubstantiated fantasy,”(Cupscene.com) AND The following is a statement from Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing (RCR), regarding allegations in the media after the Sept. 19 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race at New Hampshire International Speedway that two of RCR's teams had manipulated the rules: "Reports in the media, specifically on SPEED TV, that one or more of our NEXTEL Cup Series teams was found by NASCAR to be manipulating the rules yesterday at New Hampshire International Speedway are false and misleading. Our cars passed post-race inspection and officials at NASCAR assured us last night and again today that no one from RCR was told at any time not to bring a part back to the race track. The reported events and conversations did not happen. Our focus remains on two of our teams competing for the championship and the other finishing as high in the points as possible.(RCR PR)

NO WORRIES
NASCAR finds no problems with Harvick or Burton in post race tech
By Greg Engle
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

Sylvania 300 winner Kevin Harvick and his teammate Jeff Burton did not have any problems in postrace inspection Sunday night at New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon, NASCAR said Monday.

Late Sunday night, it was reported that the Richard Childress Racing teams had manipulated their rims to act as a bleeder valve to release air pressure from the rim and that although legal, NASCAR had told the teams not to bring the rims to the track again.

According to NASCAR, however, the issue of the rims never surfaced during postrace inspection.

“We’ve been checking valves and valve stems for about four months now,” Jim Hunter, vice president of corporate communications for NASCAR, said Monday. “What it was, was one reporter trying to make something that wasn’t there. Then another reporter went on TV and reported it as fact, when it was actually totally untrue.

“It was one reporter’s unsubstantiated fantasy,”

Harvick’s victory was his second in a row and third in six races. He leads the Nextel Cup points race. Burton finished seventh. Harvick and Burton qualified for the Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup, and Burton is fifth in points. RCR fields a third driver, Clint Bowyer, who finished 24th Sunday and is 17th in points.

Late Monday, Richard Childress released a statement: “Reports in the media, specifically on Speed TV, that one or more of our Nextel Cup Series teams was found by NASCAR to be manipulating the rules yesterday at New Hampshire International Speedway are false and misleading. Our cars passed postrace inspection, and officials at NASCAR assured us last night and again today that no one from RCR was told at any time not to bring a part back to the racetrack. The reported events and conversations did not happen.”

Speed TV issued a statement, defending its reporter.

"Speed reporter Bob Dillner has a strong record of solid reporting from the NASCAR garage,” said Chris Long, Speed executive producer for NASCAR programming. “There is no rational reason for us to consider that the events and conversations he related to Speed viewers are anything other than the truth."
 
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