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NASCAR hands massive penalty for tire manipulation to RCR


NickHolt

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Massive Penalty for Tire Manipulation Handed to RCR

 

NASCAR levied harsh penalties against Ryan Newman's race team Tuesday after determining Richard Childress Racing manipulated the tires Newman used at Auto Club Speedway in California.

 

There had been rampant speculation throughout the Sprint Cup garage that teams were drilling tiny holes in their tires to allow air to escape during a race. The process is known as "bleeding tires" and NASCAR last week at Martinsville Speedway warned crew chiefs about the penalties that would be levied against any team caught.

 

Newman was one of four drivers to have his tires taken by NASCAR after the March 22 race at Fontana. The tires were sent for an independent inspection, and NASCAR said Tuesday that Newman's tires were found to have violated a rule that "bars any modifications to the tire or wheel, including the valve stem hardware, that is used to release pressure."

 

As a result, crew chief Luke Lambert was fined $125,000 and suspended for the next six races. The suspension also includes the All-Star race in May. Lambert was also placed on probation through the end of the year.

 

Tire technician James Bender and engineer Philip Surgen were also suspended six races and placed on probation through Dec. 31.

 

Newman and car owner Childress were docked 75 points each.

 

"NASCAR takes very seriously its responsibility to govern and regulate the rules of the sport in order to ensure competitive balance," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president. "We've been very clear that any modifications to race vehicle tires is an unacceptable practice and will not be tolerated."

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BUT nascar wont take the win away for sponsor reasons i would say ..it isnt like our short track local racing .those teams could lose those sponsors as nascar could thiers and i am sure that has been spoken about in years past concerning that provision .. but i agree you cheat you lose every thing that race ...except our car :P ....then again what do i know i am just hitech ... <_<

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So a sponsor would want to invest in a cheater??? I bet those cheating teams would straighten up real quick if they lose sponsors and money, NASCAR is already doing a good job losing stuff on their own anyways and aren't they trying to go back to "grass roots" racing??? But I'm sure it's like every other form of racing, everyone's cheating til they're caught and if they're not checked then it's ok.

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So a sponsor would want to invest in a cheater??? I bet those cheating teams would straighten up real quick if they lose sponsors and money, NASCAR is already doing a good job losing stuff on their own anyways and aren't they trying to go back to "grass roots" racing??? But I'm sure it's like every other form of racing, everyone's cheating til they're caught and if they're not checked then it's ok.

I ask terry labonte that question years ago of why they dont take a win away and he spoke in line with what i said about sponsor money . may still come down to win on sunday sell on monday type deal i suppose . look at what is being said right now .the team .the owner are spoken about .not the sponsor .take a win away then the sponsor will be talked about aswell ..you dont hear that so and so sponsored car was nailed .sponsors are hardly ever mentioned .and that is the way my bet is they like it ...no it isnt right and i am sure the team owner will get an ear full behind closed doors ..in racing it is all about getting that edge if you want to win .and sometimes that bites . right or wrong and nascar decides what is both .my personal feeling about what this team did was not smart safety wise .... i ll add this is a catch 22...

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My question is when and where did they manipulate the tires at? From my understanding, Goodyear kept the tires and issued them out on a need by basis; but they surely aren't purchasing or getting the tires before they get to the track.

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Jamie, dont think it was the tires themselves. Teams supply goodyear with wheels, goodyear mounts tires and they are given too the teams before the race. More then enough time to change out valve stems. Trick pressure bleeding valve stems are not new technology, they just didnt remove theirs before the tires were confiscated. Some big budget local teams use them as well.

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Upon further research, that's exactly what was happening. Microscopic holes drilled into the tires to allow air to escape...Kinda like drilling microscopic holes in the intake manifold to allow more air into the engine.

 

Here's Darrell Waltrip's solution, which I disagree with. Mainly because pressure relief valves are notoriously unreliable. Suppose one just keeps letting air out... Hello wall. Hello big stink.

 

"I've always had a funny saying that I would use over the years where I would say "well, he's no slow leak," meaning that person was pretty sharp and not slow on the uptake. Now I think I'm going to have to rethink using that after NASCAR threw the book at the No. 31 Richard Childress Racing team for, well, deliberate slow leaks.

The reality is that teams have been trying to figure out ways to regulate the pressure in the tires for years. I understand why they try to do it but tires are one of those "third rails" that NASCAR says you don't ever want to touch along with trying to alter engines or the bodies.

In the past, tire softening was a big thing that teams tried to get away with. Drilling microscopic size holes in the tires sure has taken things to a whole new level. Unfortunately for the No. 31 car, they are now paying a pretty hefty penalty. They fought the law and the law won.

Up until this year there had been a rule in place where NASCAR issued a minimum air pressure and teams weren't to go below that. They regulated it and had officials in the pits to monitor that teams didn't go below the line. For the 2015 season that rule was eliminated and air pressure was left up to the teams.

Do you want to take all the doubt out of the situation and level the playing field? If you do, then I suggest NASCAR adopt air bleeders. If everyone had them this would be an issue that we wouldn't hear about ever again. Trust me, the teams will perfect them just like when NASCAR made the switch to fuel injection and it simply won't be a subject of conversation anymore.

If they don't go to something like this now, how in the world is NASCAR ever going to police 43 teams for 36 weeks? Are they going to impound all 43 teams' tires every week and send them off to be analyzed? That's as about as unrealistic as you can get. Adopting air bleeders will not only add consistency to the tires, but will enhance safety so the teams can run the tires at the levels they want and not worry about tearing up the sidewalls.

So that's my recommendation: Take all the doubt about what everyone is doing. Eliminate this issue once and for all. Standardize the process and level the playing field for all the teams with air bleeders."

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