Daytona 500
02-14-2007, 11:02 PM
#11
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Join Date: 08-20-2006
Location: Hillsdale, Michigan
Posts: 21,640
And some more fire:
Waltrip's Crew Chief, Director Suspended
By JENNA FRYER, AP Auto Racing Writer
3 hours ago
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - A second day of scandal hit the Daytona 500 on Wednesday when two-time winner Michael Waltrip's crew chief and team director were thrown out of NASCAR's biggest race for cheating.
The two were suspended indefinitely after an illegal substance was found during inspection for the season-opening race.
Waltrip, docked 100 points, will be allowed to participate in Thursday's races that determine the field for NASCAR's biggest event of the year.
David Hyder, his crew chief, was thrown out of the garage and fined $100,000. Team director Bobby Kennedy also was kicked out.
"This is not the way you want to enter the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, by any means," said Jim Aust, president of Toyota Racing Development. "But circumstances are what they are, and we'll support NASCAR in any way we can to help to help them find a resolution to the issue."
Five teams now have been caught cheating during preparations for Sunday's race. The crew chiefs for 2003 champion Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne, Scott Riggs and Elliott Sadler all were suspended Tuesday.
NASCAR officials would not reveal what they found in Waltrip's intake manifold, but a person with knowledge of the investigation told The Associated Press it was a property contained in jet fuel.
NASCAR competition director Robin Pemberton said only that the substance was not jet fuel itself.
"We're not going to go into any great detail, but it was a foreign substance that we feel should not have been inside the engine, and we'll leave it at that," Pemberton said. "I don't think this is anything that we've seen in the recent past."
The substance was found during the inspection of Waltrip's new Toyota Camry before Sunday's qualifying session. NASCAR seized the part and shipped it back to North Carolina for analysis, and spent all day Wednesday pulling parts and pieces from under the hood.
The manifold is a part of the engine that supplies the fuel/air mix to the engine cylinders. Waltrip's team coated the inside of it with an illegal substance that is believed to be a property contained in jet fuel.
Waltrip's team maintains it was oil.
Adding the substance, described by NASCAR as an oxygenate, would boost the octane in the fuel, thus making the engine run better at higher horsepower.
Pemberton said the substance was discovered when a NASCAR official reached his hand into the manifold to feel for loose parts.
"When he brought his hand out, there was a substance on there that was unlike anything he had ever seen in the inspection line before," Pemberton said.
Some rival team members said they thought NASCAR should have taken away more points from Waltrip's team, because in a sport where cheating is common, tampering with the fuel is a rarity.
"Throughout the garage area I think everybody knows you don't mess around with tires, you don't mess around with the engine, the restrictor plates," Pemberton said. "Those things are very taboo."
The last penalty NASCAR issued for a fuel-tampering violation was harsher than Waltrip's. In May 2000, driver Jeremy Mayfield and team owner Michael Kranefuss each was penalized 151 points for a fuel-related violation found at Talladega Superspeedway.
"When it comes to that area, points need to be equal, at least as bad as it was for Jeremy," said Dale Earnhardt Inc. vice president Richie Gilmore.
Gilmore wasn't surprised, however, that Waltrip still will be allowed to race.
"This day and age, with the sponsors and money that are in the sport, you can see why they didn't send him home," Gilmore said. "But the penalty on the points should have been heavier than 100 points."
Waltrip started his own three-car team this season with Japanese automaker Toyota. The Camrys have struggled with speed since January testing, and Waltrip is not assured a starting spot in the field for Sunday's season-opening race.
"This is a highly competitive field this year ... and I think they went across the line to try to assure them a starting spot in the Daytona 500," Pemberton said.
Waltrip's car failed pre-qualifying inspection. The cars he fields for Dale Jarrett and David Reutimann both passed inspection. Jarrett is assured a spot in Sunday's race because he's a past series champion; Waltrip and Reutimann must race their way in Thursday.
Petty Enterprises executive vice president Robbie Loomis said Waltrip's team should have been penalized 185 points _ the equivalent of a race victory.
"If they won the Daytona 500, it's like they weren't here," Loomis said. "So I think NASCAR has done a good job showing they're not going to take stuff, but it's all checks and balances. I'm sure they'll work it out as the season goes along."
NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter declined to explain why Waltrip's points penalty wasn't as severe as Mayfield's.
"That was then, and this is now," Hunter said.
Waltrip's Crew Chief, Director Suspended
By JENNA FRYER, AP Auto Racing Writer
3 hours ago
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - A second day of scandal hit the Daytona 500 on Wednesday when two-time winner Michael Waltrip's crew chief and team director were thrown out of NASCAR's biggest race for cheating.
The two were suspended indefinitely after an illegal substance was found during inspection for the season-opening race.
Waltrip, docked 100 points, will be allowed to participate in Thursday's races that determine the field for NASCAR's biggest event of the year.
David Hyder, his crew chief, was thrown out of the garage and fined $100,000. Team director Bobby Kennedy also was kicked out.
"This is not the way you want to enter the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, by any means," said Jim Aust, president of Toyota Racing Development. "But circumstances are what they are, and we'll support NASCAR in any way we can to help to help them find a resolution to the issue."
Five teams now have been caught cheating during preparations for Sunday's race. The crew chiefs for 2003 champion Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne, Scott Riggs and Elliott Sadler all were suspended Tuesday.
NASCAR officials would not reveal what they found in Waltrip's intake manifold, but a person with knowledge of the investigation told The Associated Press it was a property contained in jet fuel.
NASCAR competition director Robin Pemberton said only that the substance was not jet fuel itself.
"We're not going to go into any great detail, but it was a foreign substance that we feel should not have been inside the engine, and we'll leave it at that," Pemberton said. "I don't think this is anything that we've seen in the recent past."
The substance was found during the inspection of Waltrip's new Toyota Camry before Sunday's qualifying session. NASCAR seized the part and shipped it back to North Carolina for analysis, and spent all day Wednesday pulling parts and pieces from under the hood.
The manifold is a part of the engine that supplies the fuel/air mix to the engine cylinders. Waltrip's team coated the inside of it with an illegal substance that is believed to be a property contained in jet fuel.
Waltrip's team maintains it was oil.
Adding the substance, described by NASCAR as an oxygenate, would boost the octane in the fuel, thus making the engine run better at higher horsepower.
Pemberton said the substance was discovered when a NASCAR official reached his hand into the manifold to feel for loose parts.
"When he brought his hand out, there was a substance on there that was unlike anything he had ever seen in the inspection line before," Pemberton said.
Some rival team members said they thought NASCAR should have taken away more points from Waltrip's team, because in a sport where cheating is common, tampering with the fuel is a rarity.
"Throughout the garage area I think everybody knows you don't mess around with tires, you don't mess around with the engine, the restrictor plates," Pemberton said. "Those things are very taboo."
The last penalty NASCAR issued for a fuel-tampering violation was harsher than Waltrip's. In May 2000, driver Jeremy Mayfield and team owner Michael Kranefuss each was penalized 151 points for a fuel-related violation found at Talladega Superspeedway.
"When it comes to that area, points need to be equal, at least as bad as it was for Jeremy," said Dale Earnhardt Inc. vice president Richie Gilmore.
Gilmore wasn't surprised, however, that Waltrip still will be allowed to race.
"This day and age, with the sponsors and money that are in the sport, you can see why they didn't send him home," Gilmore said. "But the penalty on the points should have been heavier than 100 points."
Waltrip started his own three-car team this season with Japanese automaker Toyota. The Camrys have struggled with speed since January testing, and Waltrip is not assured a starting spot in the field for Sunday's season-opening race.
"This is a highly competitive field this year ... and I think they went across the line to try to assure them a starting spot in the Daytona 500," Pemberton said.
Waltrip's car failed pre-qualifying inspection. The cars he fields for Dale Jarrett and David Reutimann both passed inspection. Jarrett is assured a spot in Sunday's race because he's a past series champion; Waltrip and Reutimann must race their way in Thursday.
Petty Enterprises executive vice president Robbie Loomis said Waltrip's team should have been penalized 185 points _ the equivalent of a race victory.
"If they won the Daytona 500, it's like they weren't here," Loomis said. "So I think NASCAR has done a good job showing they're not going to take stuff, but it's all checks and balances. I'm sure they'll work it out as the season goes along."
NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter declined to explain why Waltrip's points penalty wasn't as severe as Mayfield's.
"That was then, and this is now," Hunter said.
02-15-2007, 06:17 AM
#12
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Join Date: 05-13-2006
Location: Chicago,IL
Posts: 2,334
As long as they let the car into the race, after a violation is found, there will be cheating...
The fact that there`s a lot of money paid by sponsors and fans to see a particular car in the race, would make the penalty (of exclusion ) even more prohibitive.
The fact that there`s a lot of money paid by sponsors and fans to see a particular car in the race, would make the penalty (of exclusion ) even more prohibitive.
That should keep everyone one the straight and narrow!
02-15-2007, 02:38 PM
#15
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Join Date: 04-30-2006
Location: Maryland Heights, MO
Posts: 9,149
This issue is going to get like steroids in other sports.
edit:
posted- 2:40
forum time- 2:38
????????????????
we're losing time now!
02-15-2007, 03:56 PM
#17
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Join Date: 04-30-2006
Location: Maryland Heights, MO
Posts: 9,149
02-15-2007, 04:16 PM
#18
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Join Date: 10-19-2005
Location: Miami
Posts: 20,687
02-16-2007, 06:38 AM
#19
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Join Date: 05-13-2006
Location: Chicago,IL
Posts: 2,334
Sorry to say, but I can`t think of a sponsor who has come out and said they were/would leave NASCAR because of cheating.
I believe the sponsor doesn`t care, as long as his/it`s name is shown on tv.
Sometimes adverse publicity pays dividends too.
I wouldn`t doubt that (x-amount of people) will watch the 500, to see if Toyota can overcome this mess and win. Wouldn`t that be a hoot...?
I believe the sponsor doesn`t care, as long as his/it`s name is shown on tv.
Sometimes adverse publicity pays dividends too.
I wouldn`t doubt that (x-amount of people) will watch the 500, to see if Toyota can overcome this mess and win. Wouldn`t that be a hoot...?
02-16-2007, 08:39 AM
#20
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Join Date: 06-21-2006
Location: Chicago
Posts: 3,100
I think everyone wants to have a Great Car & Driver but I do not think they the Sponsor 's want some one who was Cheating , Sponsor Do Care, Its money in there pocket.
-------------------------Honest vs Cheating--------------------
Then again
Thats just me
Rudy
-------------------------Honest vs Cheating--------------------
Then again
Thats just me
Rudy