Well I just read some shocking news...well I guess it wasn't too shocking since I kinda read about it yesterday, but wasn't expecting it to turn out like this. Yesterday I read that NASCAR officials pulled Clint Bowyer and his car owner in and told them that they were close to being outside the limits for their rear end. Clint Bowyer won the N.H. race last Sunday to move him from twelveth in points to second. (NASCAR takes the winning car plus one random car back to N. Carolina after every race to take the car apart and examine them more thoroughly.) Well yesterday, didn't think that was that big of a deal. No secret that each team presses everything to it's limits to make the car as best as possible... Well read in Yahoo an hour ago that NASCAR was pulling Clint and his team in to discuss what NASCAR decided to do. Which confused me since if it was close to pressing the limits in the back bumper, but if it is close, then why penalize them or do anything about it as long as it is within limits? Well, it looks like NASCAR has decided that Bowyer did break regulations in the rear of the car! (NASCAR.com says that the car equipment did not meet NASCAR rules. Bowyer's crew cheif Shane Wilson has been fined $150,000 and suspended for six weeks, suspended from NASCAR until November 3. His car chief has been suspended for six weeks from the cup series, and suspended from NASCAR until November 3. (They both will be on probation until the end of the year - Dec. 31) If that wasn't bad enough. . .Clint Bowyer and car owner Richard Childress has been fined 150 championship points!!!!!!!! Micheal McDowell, number 46, was penalyzed as well for his engine's exhaust vaulves did not meet mininum weight requirement. Though he wasn't docked as heavy as Bowyer. His car cheif was docked fifty thousand dollars and suspended until Nov. 3, on probation until Dec. 31. He was docked 50 points. As was his car owner. Micheal McDowell is a part time driver who I really don't know other than his name. Hard way to be starting out a career. Well I guess this goes to show just how sensitive NASCAR is to the COT (car of tomorrow...guess now it is the car of today). I remember the first year they drove this car, Gordon, Johnson, and Jr were all caught outside some limit and were fined fifty points (I think) as well fined and perhaps their crew cheifs as well. I can't remember exactly what they got, but it wasn't as much as Bowyer's I don't think. I guess it is fitting that they higher the penalty now that they have been driving the car for a couple of years now. I like Clint Bowyer, he seems like a good guy and is a good driver. Usually things like this, I believe, comes from the crew cheif and the pit crew trying to give the driver the best cars. Though if they fail inspection, I guess they have to pay the consequences. Odd how the car can pass inspection before and after the race and not the final inspection in N.C. Bowyer will still be listed as the winner of Sunday's race...though if you ask me, if they are caught cheating like that, then that should be taken away and given to the second place driver. Oh well they didn't ask me and good thing for Clint they didn't. As I said, I like Clint and do feel bad for him and his crew after having such a high day on Sunday to be deflated by this. What hurts the most is the points...150 championship points...NASCAR.com hasn't reset the points yet, but he will be twelveth, I'm thinking. Don't know if Ryan Newman would have more points than him, since they are running on two different point systems. But since the chase format has already been set, don't see NASCAR dropping him out of the chase. Sadly it looks like he has went from twelve to second and probably second back to twelve. Well, his dreams of winning the championship this year has just been flusehd down the drain. . .