Robby Gordon is on probation until Dec. 31.

Gordon fined, loses points for debris caution
Press Release
November 1, 2006
05:08 PM EST (22:08 GMT)


DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.-- NASCAR announced Wednesday that Robby Gordon has been fined and issued two point-standing penalties for rule infractions during this past Sunday's Nextel Cup Series event at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Gordon, the driver and owner of the No. 7 Chevrolet, has been fined $15,000; he also has been penalized with the loss of 50 driver championship points and 50 car owner championship points. Gordon also has been placed on probation by NASCAR until Dec. 31.

Robby Gordon denied throwing roll-bar padding out his window to force a caution at Atlanta. But that didn't calm Jeff Burton.

In addition, Gordon's crew chief Greg Erwin has been fined $10,000 due to violations of Sections 12-A and 12-4-N -- and 9-4-A (crew chief assumes responsibility for the actions of his/her driver, car owner and team members). Erwin also has been placed on probation until Dec. 31.

"NASCAR today completed its investigation of the incident that caused a late-race caution in Sunday's Bass Pro Shops 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and fined Robby Gordon and his crew chief for actions detrimental to stock-car racing," said Kerry Tharp, NASCAR's director of public relations. "It is a very serious matter when a team attempts to manipulate the outcome of a race."

On Lap 290 of Sunday's race, a small piece of debris emerged from around Gordon's No. 7 Chevrolet. Because he was the first car one lap down, the resulting caution put Gordon back on the lead lap, and he rallied to finish 10th.

Jeff Burton was highly upset about the incident. He had just completed a pit stop seven laps prior to the caution and was seeking a stretch of green-flag racing to stay on pit cycle with everyone else. The caution, however, trapped him out of sequence and he voiced his displeasure after the race.

"Whoever threw the roll-bar padding out, they ought to fine them 185 points and fine them 100 grand, because it is a huge impact on the race and it is ridiculous and it happens too often," Burton said after the race. "They need to figure out who did it and penalize them."

Video evidence showed what was believed to be roll-bar padding coming from Gordon's car, but he denied that he threw anything out the window to create the caution.

"I definitely didn't throw anything out the window, so I don't know," Gordon told NBC after the race. "It looked like it came out the back of the car actually."

Burton declined to discuss the matter further after Wednesday's penalties, saying he did not want to talk about the incident anymore.

Robby Gordon Motorsports did not comment on the penalties.

Interesting! I think there are a lot of other drivers that have thrown out debris and haven't gotten in trouble and I think they could've figured out who they were.

Ouch!

That's gotta sting!

yepp thats why i have a problem with it lol

Oh, snap.

Ditto!

Well that sucks. :(

Ouch now that's gotta hurt.

if only Johnny were alive to say to NASCAR if the "rollbar doesn't fit you must acquit."

:lmao

:lmbo

poor Robby

:( They could go pick on someone with more points...

If he did the crime, he should pay the price. Same with anyone else.

oh you should have known NASCAR would make an example out of Robby, I love Robby but good for NASCAR finally doing something about it.......

now lets see if they do in the future and if we see anyone risk this anymore. Maybe some of our "debris" cautions will go away

:nod

:nod

He is appealing it. Which doesn't surprise me. Too bad, you know better that to throw shit out of your car. Deal with and keep your rollbar padding where in belongs, on the damn rollbar.

:nod

It's about time they started doing something about this type of thing.