Hmmm....

[NickHolt]

Did anyone else see this one?

 

NATIONAL STOCK CAR RACING COMMISSION STATEMENT:

 

On May 20, 2010, the National Stock Car Racing Appeals Panel heard and considered the appeal of JTG Daugherty Racing regarding the #47 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car. The appeal concerned penalties issued by NASCAR following post-qualifying inspection on April 16, 2010, for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Texas Motor Speedway.

 

The penalties concern Section 12-1 of the NASCAR Rule Book “Actions detrimental to stock car racing.” and Section 20-2.3A: “Unapproved added weight.”

 

The penalties assessed were:

-Loss of 50 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship Car Owner points for owner, Tad Geschickter

-Loss of 50 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship Driver points for driver, Marcos Ambrose

-$50,000 fine and probation until December 31, 2010 for crew chief, Frank Kerr

 

The Appellants argued that the pieces added to the radiator support panel near the nose of the car were simply spacers used to align the panel correctly with the bottom of the radiator.

 

In the view of the Appeals Panel, the pieces clearly constituted added weight. Furthermore, the Appeals Panel was troubled by the thought of unapproved weight located in an area other than an approved weight container as defined in the Rule Book.

 

Therefore, it is the unanimous decision of the National Stock Car Racing Appeals Panel to uphold the original penalties assessed by NASCAR.

 

The Appellants have the right under Section 15 of the Rule Book to appeal this decision to the National Stock Car Racing Chief Appellate Officer.

 

 

Buddy Baker

Jack Housby

Cathy Rice

George Silbermann - Appellate Administrator and non-voting member

[lenny66]

Were they made out of lead or what??? I sure would like to see this rule book, it must be huge !!! Lenny66

[Wayne Walker]

Section 12-1 of the NASCAR Rule Book “Actions detrimental to stock car racing.”

 

This open ended statement covers every thought or action against what NA$CAR wants. I still can't understand why anyone would want to be involved with them. JMO

[hray]

I'd hate to be adding weight by the radiator. It must have had some really weird handling characteristics.

[rebelracewriter]

Rusty....I was kind of thinking the same thing......Weight up on the nose?????

[Pacecar]

http://insiderracingnews.com/Writers/AM/042010.html

 

 

Apparently, two teams discovered that additional weight under the radiator pan, the aluminum duct work directing air from the nose of the car through the radiator, would improve the balance of the car. So, the teams’ fabricators built a lower radiator pan for their cars that weighed significantly more than the original aluminum pans – like 20-40lbs more than the aluminum counterparts.

 

Following qualifying Friday, NASCAR Sprint Cup officials confiscated the lower radiator pan from the No. 13 GEICO Toyota of Max Papis, it weighed 45.2lbs. They also confiscated the lower radiator pan from the No. 47 Tom Thumb/Viva Toyota of Marcos Ambros which weighed 25.7lbs.

 

Many believed that NASCAR has completely eradicated cheating in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series by introducing the latest generation car and the significantly increased number of rules surrounding the new car. But never underestimate the creativity of fabricators charged with producing winning race cars and finding solutions to balance a chassis that does not perform as well as previous generations.