Nascar threatens teams after NHIS event

openwheelracer · Admin/Mod/Eyewitness

Nascar threatens teams after NHIS event

spdracer19 · Pick-um contest administrator

from jayski:

Fines, Penalties and Probations Result from New Hampshire Infractions
NASCAR issued fines and penalties Monday to four NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series teams, resulting from rule violations this past weekend at New Hampshire International Speedway.
• Kasey Kahne, driver of the #9 Dodge, was fined $25,000 because of an on-track altercation with another competitor during a caution period and placed on probation for the remainder of the year. Kahne violated Section 12-4-A of the series rule book (actions detrimental to stock car racing). Kahne was also penalized 25 driver championship points and car owner Ray Evernham losing 25 owner championship points. “There have been a growing number of incidents lately where drivers have taken matters into their own hands. Such unsafe and inappropriate behavior has to stop,” said NASCAR President Mike Helton. NASCAR will use whatever means necessary to stop it.”
Other fines and penalties issued Monday:
• Lance McGrew, crew chief for the #25 Chevrolet driven by Brian Vickers, was fined $10,000 and placed on probation for the remainder of the year. The #25 team had its primary car confiscated after the weekend’s initial inspection process, due to an unapproved car body. Vickers was penalized 25 driver points and car owner Mary Hendrick was penalized 25 owner points. The team was in violation of Section 12-4-A and Section 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment that do not conform to NASCAR rules).
• Robby Gordon, driver of the #7 Chevrolet, was fined $25,000 for attempting to hit another competitor’s car during a caution period, and then throwing his helmet at another competitor’s car. Gordon also was fined $10,000 for use of improper language during a television interview during the race. Each fine was accompanied by penalties against Gordon of 25 driver points and 25 owner points against James Smith. In addition, Gordon has been placed on probation for the remainder of the year. In each instance, Gordon was in violation of Section 12-4-A. So Gordon loses 50 drivers points and 50 owners points.
• #15 Chevrolet driver Michael Waltrip, involved in the on-track altercations with Gordon, was fined $10,000 and penalized 25 driver points because of an inappropriate gesture during a televised broadcast, while car owner Teresa Earnhardt was penalized 25 owner points. Waltrip was also in violation of Secton 12-4-A.(NASCAR PR)(9-19-2005)

spdracer19 · Pick-um contest administrator

Ok, here is what I think. NASCAR and their probation is a joke. They are no better than WSB.

Kyle Busch is on probation steming from an incident at Watkins Glenn when he did basically the same thing Kahne did to him. That was a month ago and just this past weekend he drove into the side of Kahne and crashed him as well as later in the race he got into someone else hard enough that he spun himself out.

Now, Newman & Stewart, Kenseth & Biffle and Wallace & Martin were able to race extremly hard with each other for the final 10-20 laps and managed to not wreck each other because they understand their (driver & car) limits and also respect their fellow racers, although it would have been interesting to see Wallace & Newman racing for the same spot, lol. Anyway, Kyle B. shows no respect for anyone else especially in his post race interview, and just used Kahne as a backboard and wrecked him. While I believe Kahne was wrong for his actions however I can understand his anger and frustration. NASCAR should be stopping the actions like Buschs that lead up to the actions like Kahnes instead of just waiting for the actions like Kahnes and cleaning up the mess. They have given probation for years but I can not remember 1 time when they followed up on it. Well, ok, maybe once with Harvick a number of years ago. Right now Kyle Busch is NASCAR's golden baby and if they let him get away with it now he won't get any better later, unless it is more about who he drives for and less about who he is!

As for Robby Gordon, well, he hits everything but the pace car everyweek and I don't doubt it went like Mikey said. Robby the desert rat should go back to the sandbox and leave the Cup racing to the professionals.

And while we are at it why does NASCAR let Spencer drive like that in the Turcks? Hell, even the Speedbowl came up with a 'wheels below the white line' rule. Spencer was putting sometimes all 4 wheels below the white line, but more importantly, on the apron or completely flat area typically used for limping back to the pits. But he was trying to race on it multiple times and would slide up into the poor SOB on his outside. The last lap with Todd Bodine, well Spencer was just so far over his head you could see his hair weave sticking through roof.

I believe that NASCAR will get as much, if not more, publicity this week for the wrecks and subsequent actions than they will about the great racing we saw in the closing stages of the race and therfore will not do more than a probation smokescreen which is more publicity. Publicity = $$$$. So why should they suspend drivers?

I hope this is taken in the spirit it is meant. I am not bashing just giving my opinion which could be read to be a bash but....

openwheelracer · Admin/Mod/Eyewitness

What I thought was absolutley hilarious, and I am not saying this in support of Spencer just thought it was comical, was T.Bodine comments about Spencer post race: "Thats typical Jimmy Spencer for you, thats why nobody wants him in the Cup Series" Hello Todd?.... people in glass houses shouldnt throw......

scott121476 · Moderator

lol.............

well we know now that the truck series is like the nursing home for race car drivers, people whos carrer is on the verge of ending is there..... AND THERE STILL HACKING one other......

scott

spdracer19 · Pick-um contest administrator

Lol, open. Yes I agree with the Todd comment. I also thought it was funny to see Spencer kissing Rusty's rear bumper with his comments following getting dumped by the #2. But unlike Kyle, Rusty took full responsiblility for wrecking Spencer.

Did you see the NASCAR show on SPEED channel with Dave Dispain, Brian Vickers, Ken Schrader & Mikey Waltrip this week? The watch 2 or 3 replays of Spencer wrecking Todd on the last lap and poke fun at Spencers version of Todd coming down on him. Some funny comments.

Anyway, how do you feel about the 'wait until the second response and throw the penalty flag' mentality like during a football game the 2nd punch/push/whatever gets the call when the 1st one was more blatant in most cases.

If you drive in over your head (Kyle B., Rusty, Spencer, Scott R.) or make it 3 wide (Dale J.) and cause a wreck then it's a 1 or 2 lap penalty. I'd go with more than 1 lap because the lucky dog makes being 1 lap down a joke these days.

openwheelracer · Admin/Mod/Eyewitness

Cup unfortunatley in my opinion has become a dog and pony show it seems Spd. Now it's more about ratings and sensationlism, rather than what it's supposed to be.......racing. When one of the drivers who sells merchandise, increases ratings, and puts people in the seats does somthing wrong they dont seem to want to throw the book at them. Let a guy like a Mike Garvey or a Carl Long blow a gasket and do something crazy on track, they would probably recieve a lifetime ban!

openwheelracer · Admin/Mod/Eyewitness

From Jayski.com:

NASCAR to threaten drivers at Dover: Behave or else: If NASCAR has its way, the road rage that has erupted in recent Nextel Cup races is over. NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said Thursday that Mike Helton, the sanctioning organization's president, will tell the drivers before Sunday's race at Dover International Speedway that such behavior will no longer be tolerated and that they will risk being suspended if there is more on-track retaliation. "With what Mike is planning to do at the drivers' meetings on Saturday, prior to the Busch race, and on Sunday is going to sort of give our guys, I don't want to say a final warning, but I think they'll clearly understand that we're going to do what we need to," Hunter said Thursday in a telephone interview. "If we need to suspend people, then, starting at Dover, that's a possibility."(ESPN.com/AP)(9-23-2005)

spdracer19 · Pick-um contest administrator

I still think that the penalties will not be distributed evenly. Your not going to get me to believe taht one of the big dogs will get suspended for a race or more due to sponsor relations. Especially if that driver/team is not in the chase. They get limited coverage as it is but to park one for a week. I doubt it. I'm talking a number of teams like DEI, Hendricks, RCR, Gibs, Roush, Yates, Evernham. And that's not even taking into account the sponsors relationship with NASCAR themselves I.E. GM, Bud. I can see why NASCAR have been hesitant in parking guys so it will be interesting to see how it goes..