By Dave Rodman, NASCAR.COM
February 13, 2007
06:40 PM EST
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- In what could be called the most severe set of sanctions ever delivered by NASCAR in one day, four Nextel Cup crew chiefs were suspended and their teams were fined a total of $150,000, 150 driver points and 150 car owner points Tuesday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway.
Evernham Motorsports took the biggest hit as its lead car, the No. 9 Dodge of driver Kasey Kahne, lost its team director, Kenny Francis, for four races beginning with Sunday's Daytona 500; Kahne was docked 50 driver points and owner Ray Evernham 50 owner points.
Kahne's teammates, Elliott Sadler (No. 19 Dodge) and Scott Riggs (No. 10 Dodge) lost their team directors, Josh Browne and Rodney Childers, respectively, for two races apiece; Sadler and Riggs will lose 25 driver points each and owners Evernham (19) and James Rocco (10) 25 owner points following the Daytona 500.
Roush Racing's No. 17 Ford team for driver Matt Kenseth was hit with an equivalent penalty as Kahne's -- with both infractions involving "air improperly ducted into the car," according to NASCAR vice president of competition Robin Pemberton.
Kenseth's crew chief Robbie Reiser will serve a four-race suspension and he was assessed a $50,000 fine. Kenseth will lose 50 driver points and owner Jack Roush 50 owner points.
Kahne and Kenseth's infractions were discovered following Sunday's Bud Pole Award qualifying session for the Daytona 500.
Sadler and Riggs's infraction, which involved "modifications to the fasteners that hold the rear spoiler to the trunk lid to leak air out of the trunk," was discovered in pre-qualifying inspection.
NASCAR said no determination had yet been made on a "substance" found in the intake manifold of the engine in Michael Waltrip Racing's No. 55 Toyota, after which the manifold was confiscated; or the release of the entire car and second manifold, which were impounded following the car's 24th-place qualifying run.
All four teams can appeal the penalties, Pemberton said.
:bs 100% bs. jimmy never had driver points taken away.
| QUOTE (Smoochie9 @ Feb 13 2007, 08:07 PM) |
| :bs 100% bs. jimmy never had driver points taken away. |
Typical NASCAR inconsistency.
How fun is it to start the season in the hole in terms of points. :bs
thats bs. all EMS crew cheifs are gone. we are gunna go out and win sunday and show them off!