NASCAR has issued penalties, suspensions and fines as a result of rules infractions discovered this week during post-race inspection at the NASCAR Research and Development Center following last Sunday's race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The #33 team was found to be in violation of Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-J (any determination by NASCAR officials that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules); and 20-3 (car body location specifications in reference to the certified chassis did not meet NASCAR-approved specifications) of the 2010 NASCAR Rule Book. As a result, crew chief Shane Wilson has been fined $150,000, suspended from the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup events, suspended from NASCAR until Nov. 3 and placed on probation until Dec. 31. Car chief Chad Haney has also been suspended from the next six NASCAR Sprint Cup events, suspended from NASCAR until Nov. 3 and placed on probation until Dec. 31. Driver Clint Bowyer and owner Richard Childress have been penalized with the loss of 150 championship driver and owner points, respectively. (NASCAR), the penalty drops Bowyer from 2nd in the point standings to 12th.(9-22-2010)
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2003 & 2005 P-10 CHAMPION 2008 P-10 BUSCH CHAMPION 2007 & 2008 MEMBER LROC TEAM CHAMPION 2009 LUCKY DOG RACING NATIONWIDE ROTY 2010 LDR NATIONWIDE CHAMPION 2010 COOL POOL NATIONWIDE RTY 2013 COOL POOL CUP SERIES CHAMPION
Does this make any sense? From what I read they told them after Richmond they would be taking the New Hampshire car for tech-inspection after the race. Only an idiot would bring a car that they knew would not pass! I guess the 33 is not the car they want in front. Just one more nail in the coffin for me. Each year more and more empty seats and they have only them self to blame.
I watched Sportscenter and Marty Smith talked about it, but I still dont know what the infraction was other than the car wouldn't pass through the 'gray' tolerance areas. Something about the chassis where it meets the body of the car.
I think you're right, they didn't want boring Bowyer up front.
NASCAR said the No. 33 Chevrolet from Sunday's race had been altered and did not meet its strict specifications. Neither Pemberton or Sprint Cup director John Darby would specifically address the infraction, citing RCR's right to appeal the penalty.
Darby, however, said the issue revolved around how the team had set up the body of the car.
Childress said in a statement that the penalty was handed down because the car was out of tolerance "less than 1/16 of an inch."
"We feel certain that the cause of the car being out of tolerance by sixty thousandths of an inch, less than 1/16 of an inch, happened as a result of the wrecker hitting the rear bumper when it pushed the car into winner's circle," Childress said.
"The rear bumper was also hit on the cool down lap by other drivers congratulating Clint on his victory. That's the only logical way that the left-rear of the car was found to be high at the tech center. We will appeal NASCAR's ruling and take it all the way to the NASCAR commissioner for a final ruling, if need be."
Bowyer's car passed its initial inspection at New Hampshire on Sunday, but was taken by NASCAR back to its North Carolina research and development center for a more thorough examination. It was there that NASCAR found the rear end of the car had been manipulated.
The development came after NASCAR called in RCR officials to warn them that Bowyer's Chase-clinching car from the Sept. 11 race at Richmond had nearly failed inspection because its back end was very close to the mandated limits. Pemberton said that earlier warning played a part in the punishment.
