Posted on June 29, 2007

The “unfairness” or “severity” of their penalties

by Mark Odor About The Author	Email   Print

While Kurt Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr’s organizations can accept their penalties and move on, it should come as no surprise that Rick Hendrick and company are complaining to anyone who will listen about the “unfairness” or “severity” of their penalties.

Rick Hendrick and company would be wise to take their lumps and shut up about the unfairness of the penalties. They have an outstanding record of rules violations dating back to their full-time arrival in the sport in 2002 (chart below).  From swearing during live TV coverage to the infamous “Bottlegate” incident, the #48 team has run the gamut when it comes to circumventing the rules to their benefit. 

Had Hendrick Motorsports followed through on their appeal, the National Stock Car Racing Commission would have done well to not only uphold the current penalties, but actually increase them.  This doesn’t go without precedent. After a 2005 Busch Series race, the Phoenix Racing team owned by James Finch was discovered with an illegal carburetor. Initially, the only penalties assessed were a suspension for the crew chief and forfeiture of finishing position and prize money from finishing first.  Upon appeal, the team was fined an additional $25,000.

If NASCAR really wants to “crack down” on rules violations, they should take several steps to ensure the integrity of the sport is maintained, and that penalties are actually penalties. They include:

• Maintaining the integrity of the penalty:  This ensures that “suspended” crew chiefs have absolutely no contact with the team.  If it goes to taking computers out of pit stalls and using electronic monitoring to ensure that penalties are being followed through on, so be it.  In no other sport where people are suspended or ejected from competition are they actually allowed to maintain contact with the people they work with.

• Issue one-race suspensions: Suspend the entire team, excluding driver from the racetrack for a race.  Do not allow the team to change hands without penalty.  This happened back in 1991 when Junior Johnson’s operation was suspended.  He simply transferred ownership to his wife, Flossie and changed the car number to 97.  Include the driver if the driver actually had some involvement in the penalty, such as an on-track altercation that would warrant a penalty.

• Hire independent officials: NASCAR needs to have an independent group of officials that have no involvement with the sport at all other than policing rules.  When you have former drivers and track operators amongst the people on the commission, the credibility of said commission is easily brought into question.

With ease, Hendrick Motorsports can accept these penalties and move on without much effort. Until NASCAR is ready to fully ratchet up penalties, a $100,000 fine and a 100 point fine for two teams in the top five in points is nothing more than a slap on the wrist. 

Information courtesy of Jayski.

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* Originally contained a one month suspension for Chad Knaus, reversed on appeal

** Also a four race suspension for Chad Knaus

*** Six race suspension for crew chief Chad Knaus

You can contact Mark at modor@speedwaymedia.com

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