NASCAR news

[Capt_Redneck]

David Ragan and David Gilliland will be locked into the first 5 races of the season. Front Row was in the top 35 of owner points for both cars so they don't have to worry until race #6.

Edited January 17, 2012 by Capt_Redneck
spelling

[Garrett Duke]

Thought it should be something like that...thanks for clearing that up.

[TRPColtrane95]

yeah and I had new inform from Tony's team:

Tony and Danica:

http://www.nascar.com/news/120117/gzipadelli-dual-roles-at-daytona/index.html

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Greg Zipadelli's driven away from a lot of Cup Series tests at Daytona International Speedway, but until last weekend he'd never been in a position of simultaneously balancing two critical roles.

After monitoring five of six practice sessions at Preseason Thunder preparing for Speedweeks 2012, seeing how well the three Stewart-Haas Racing teams for which he's competition director had performed -- and specifically how well rookie Cup Series driver Danica Patrick's test had gone under interim crew chief Zipadelli's direction -- it was easy to see why Zipadelli looked so relaxed.

“

Daytona's test is a little bit slower but we didn't make mistakes, we made good changes, we made progress and the car got faster as the days went on and that's what you're looking for.

â€

-- GREG ZIPADELLI

"What's good for me is I've had the 10 car [Patrick's] to kind of help me make that transition into the year and into the new job," Zipadelli said of the switch from crew chief to manager. "I still enjoy the crew chief part of it. I'm having fun here and I've got a good group of guys from the shop that all pitched in to help out and they've done a really nice job.

"Daytona's test is a little bit slower but we didn't make mistakes, we made good changes, we made progress and the car got faster as the days went on and that's what you're looking for."

Owner/driver Tony Stewart on Friday had joked about Zipadelli being no different than the tough but effective taskmaster Stewart remembered from the 10 years they'd worked together at Joe Gibbs Racing from 1999-2008. Stewart had wanted to leave Florida that night to travel to Tulsa, Okla., where earlier in the week Stewart had qualified for Saturday night's A Main race of the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals.

Zipadelli didn't allow it, though he released Ryan Newman's No. 39 Chevrolet team after two days of testing because Newman "was sick, had a fever and he was in there getting IVs and fluids," Zipadelli said. "I told him to go home before everybody else got sick, but more important he needed to be home with his family."

For his own team's part Zipadelli said he'd also seen enough by Saturday noon.

"I was very happy with our car's speed and that was my primary [Daytona 500 car]," Zipadelli said. "We're coming down here [for Speedweeks] and we're not sure of our point situation and everything yet and I just need to have a fast race car. I don't need to take a chance of tearing it up."

Zipadelli said trying to make single-car qualifying runs while the majority of teams were drafting wasn't productive and "our guys have worked seven days a week for a while now and they're working late every night so this is my way of saying 'thank you, let's load up, go home and watch football [saturday] afternoon and be with our family.'"

He said he was particularly pleased with how well Patrick, who plans to make her Sprint Cup debut in the Daytona 500 after two partial seasons and 25 career Nationwide Series starts, had performed. The 500 is the first of 10 Sprint Cup starts Patrick plans this season and Zipadelli will probably be her crew chief for all of them.

"It was a lot easier and she did a lot better job than I thought and it wasn't that I was [doubting her]," Zipadelli said. "But I just didn't know, so I didn't want to put any expectations on her coming down here. So I was very relaxed and just kind of stepped back with a game plan and we worked through our things.

"She responded very well, very good feedback [and] did a really good job in the draft, which was great."

Zipadelli's been working at SHR for about a month and he said that's given him plenty of insight into what he has to look forward to, working with a guy who at times could have been tagged as both his partner and an adversary.

"So far it's fun and everything's gone good," Zipadelli said. "They're coming off a good season and like I said, we've all done a good job preparing for the [Daytona] 500 and right now it's all fun.

"The thing about Tony, like I've said our relationship over the years past, we can go up and down and it'll all be good. It's just a matter of keeping the confidence in him for the next few years while he's driving and making sure he has what he needs to go out and perform."

In addition to having Zipadelli in charge of his three teams for the first time, Stewart is also adjusting to having a new crew chief for the second time in SHR's four-year existence. But that man, Zipadelli and Stewart's former Gibbs Racing teammate Steve Addington, has fit in better than well, Zipadelli said.

"It's been fun because I'm working with Steve Addington, who's one of my closest personal friends and to be able to come back and have a working relationship where we understand each other and trust each other -- that part of it is really good," Zipadelli said. "[Tony] Gibson, he's just like Steve -- just a good, solid guy. He's here to help us and he's a team guy and from that aspect it's been really nice.

"For me and all our guys that are new and have been moved around it's been fun and it's been easy. You couldn't ask for a better group of guys to come in and help each other, from what I've seen right here."

I happy about this Chief Zipadelli join with him again. hope will help lot better for this year than last year with old chief had since he leave at time on end of 2011.

what you think of Tony's teammate new Danica's is? cant wait see how she doing well since she doing in Nationwide series are in Dale E. Jr's team owner.

thanks enjoy

[TRPColtrane95]

so as you talk about Ragan's team story check out:

http://www.nascar.com/news/120116/dragan-signs-front-row-no-34-2012/index.html

David Ragan, who has five years experience in the Sprint Cup Series, will drive Front Row Motorsports' No. 34 Ford for the 2012 season.

Ragan, 26, will race the car number used all of last season by California veteran David Gilliland, who'll be his 2012 teammate in the No. 38 Ford fielded by Front Row owner Bob Jenkins.

“

If I can go there and help improve their program 10, 15 spots and maybe try to get them their first win as a team that would be huge.

â€

-- DAVID RAGAN

"We've had meetings with potential sponsors that will be onboard throughout the year, a sponsor that's been in the series some," Ragan said. "It's a good program for me. This offseason, going in I knew that there was going to be some change and I've gotten an education on how the process really works a little better.

"I've been fortunate the last five years -- really my whole career -- that I've had sponsors locked-in the next season, in September-October-November so I've never had to go through this process. So I've really learned a lot more about the sport than just sitting behind the wheel and driving."

For Daytona Speedweeks both Front Row cars are locked-into the Daytona 500 starting field by finishing 2011 in the top 35 in the owners' points. Former Truck Series champion Travis Kvapil raced the No. 38 back into the top 35 near the end of last season.

"The Front Row program has been a team that's gotten better the last three or four years, obviously," said Ragan, who owns a Ford dealership in South Georgia. "They've got some Ford support that means a lot to me and I think there's a lot of positive things that can come of it. If we can improve their position a little bit we can be a good, solid team on the Sprint Cup circuit, week in and week out.

"If I can go there and help improve their program 10, 15 spots and maybe try to get them their first win as a team that would be huge."

Ragan's car will be tended by crew chief Jay Guy, who last year primarily worked on the No. 38 Ford with Kvapil or part-time Front Row driver J.J. Yeley. Gilliland's crew chief will be engineer Derrick Finley, who last year led Front Row's third car when it was entered.

Front Row general manager Jerry Freeze said that car, which used No. 55 last season, would have to be renumbered since the No. 55 has been assigned to Michael Waltrip Racing. FRM's No. 55 made 18 attempts in 2011 and qualified for 15 races, nine by Yeley.

"If we can fill some sponsorship on the two primary cars I don't see that third car running a lot," Ragan said. "Obviously [in 2011] that helped generate some revenue and it put another car on the track for an R&D car that was helping the other two efforts.

"We're a two-car team and that's what we want to take our pride in and try to get that two-car team to the top-20, top-25 in points and if the third car can help us some, that's when they're going to use it."

Ragan won in both Cup and Nationwide for Roush Fenway Racing in his seven seasons with the organization, where he made 293 starts across the Truck (19), Nationwide (92) and Cup series (182).

In 2009 he had two victories and 15 top-10 finishes in 19 Nationwide starts working primarily with 2011 Nationwide champion crew chief Mike Kelley. Ragan also won the July Cup race at Daytona in 2011 after being in position to win the season-opening Daytona 500 before making an illegal lane change on a restart that resulted in a penalty.

But it seemed the son of Georgia car dealer and part-time Cup Series racer Ken Ragan never quite achieved the potential that owner Jack Roush held for him. When RFR hit a sponsor shortfall after the 2011 season, there was no longer room for Ragan. Ragan weighed opportunities across all three NASCAR national series before making the decision to go with Front Row.

"I'm happy [because] I really wanted to stay in the Cup Series," Ragan said. "I didn't want to put myself in the position where I had to run a limited schedule or a start-and-park car. That's when I looked at some Nationwide opportunities and I even looked at some Truck opportunities.

"But when I talked to Jerry and I met Bob Jenkins, I saw the dedication that those guys had. I think their relationship with Ford and having two cars locked-in and going to their shop and seeing their employees and seeing that those guys are for real, I feel like it's a good opportunity for me to help their program stay in the Cup Series."

hope he will doing pretty well in that season.

thanks enjoy

[TRPColtrane95]

hope more news for Gordon for you, Garrett:

http://www.nascar.com/news/120121/jgordon-nascar-beware-technological-forces/index.html

and strange about wild west things in Dodge City:

http://www.nascar.com/news/120122/dearnhardtjr-western-town/index.html

what you think of this story are?

thanks enjoy

[Garrett Duke]

Thanks for posting those TRP Coltrane. Read the Gordon article yesterday and really have to agree with him. I hope they don't move to more technology than they already have. Especially if it means that they won't be able to pass very much on track. Always love it when Gordon qualifies well, but would hate to rely on that only. It is just as great to see him be able to move up the field and pass everyone during the race as it is to qualify well. Would find that very discouraging and frustrating.

Would love to visit Jr's small town. Have heard of it and saw it on the tv I believe, but it is great to see it again. Almost forgot he had that!

[TRPColtrane95]

yeah and thanks, yeah true about gordon's feeling for that for Daytona and his hendrick's is thing. hope see happening on daytona 500 sooner.

[TRPColtrane95]

good news about new vehicle for 2013 check out:

http://www.nascar.com/news/120124/ford-fusion-2013-cup-series/index.html

CONCORD, N.C. -- The 2013 Ford Fusion Sprint Cup car, unveiled Tuesday as part of NASCAR's media tour, was worked on by Ford designers in an effort to bring brand identity back to the sport. The result is undeniable with the 2013 Sprint Cup car mirroring the recently unveiled 2013 Ford Fusion production car.

Featuring a completely redesigned sleek new silhouette and fresh face, the 2013 Fusion Sprint Cup car was designed to be the face of a new era of stock car racing.

2013 Ford Fusion

"We wanted Fusion to be the car that helped return 'stock car' to NASCAR," Jamie Allison, director of Ford Racing said. "I think fans, when they see the car, are just going to smile and cheer. It is going to reengage them with the sport and make the sport better because there is just something natural about seeing race cars that look like cars in their driveways."

This marks the third time Ford simultaneously launched production and NASCAR versions of a new model. The first dual launch came in 1968, with the sleek fastback Ford Torino. NASCAR Hall of Fame driver David Pearson drove the Torino to back-to-back Cup Series championships in 1968 and 1969. The second time came in 2006, when the then newly introduced Ford Fusion appeared in showrooms and on the track.

Ford took a different approach with the development of the 2013 Fusion racer. Ford Design Center staff, led by Garen Nicoghosian, and Ford aerodynamicist Bernie Marcus, spent the past year doing the early design development, freeing up the Ford race teams to concentrate on weekly NASCAR competition.

"This is a seminal moment in the sport where we had a chance to get it right once again and make sure the race cars are race versions of street cars. And I am proud because I believe we have accomplished just that," Allison said. "The 2013 Fusion is a stunning car and the 2013 NASCAR Fusion is even more stunning and I can't wait to see it perform on the track and connect with race fans."

Ford designers, led by Nicoghosian, addressed three main issues to mirror the 2013 Sprint Cup Fusion to the 2013 production Fusion found on showroom floors:

-- Address the overall proportion of the race car to reflect proportions found in the production Fusion

-- Brand and design cues in the side of the vehicle

-- An identifiable front end grill with the distinctive look of a Ford

"It looks fun to drive and very much eager to go and tear up the track. It has a very aggressive stance from the outside and the inside. From all angles the vehicle exudes performance and I think it reflects our general attitude of how we go about setting up our cars very, very nicely," Nicoghosian said. "It brings a certain level of nimbleness and lightness and agility to the NASCAR platform, much like we do in our production cars, because all of our production cars have that nimbleness and agility and eagerness about them."

The new Sprint Cup Fusion entries will be tested throughout the 2012 season in preparation for its racing debut at the 2013 Daytona 500 in February.

what you think will be cool new than old one? will get better or what? I hope so. I wonder for Chevy need change from Impala to??? like that. I wish they need it to be.

thanks enjoy

[TRPColtrane95]

hope bad news for Biffle's # is check out:

http://www.nascar.com/news/120124/gbiffle-rreiser-2012-turnaround/index.html

CONCORD, N.C. -- It wasn't just what didn't happen that was so annoying for driver Greg Biffle and his No. 16 Ford team last season.

It was what did happen for Biffle's Roush Fenway Racing teammates Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth and David Ragan.

“

I'm a believer that you make your own luck. But last year we had the crappiest luck that I've ever seen in my life. Ever.

â€

-- GREG BIFFLE

"The 16 car didn't have the best season," Biffle candidly admitted Tuesday during the NASCAR preseason media tour. "Yet Matt and Carl both made the Chase, and Carl almost won the championship."

Even Ragan, who found himself out of a job at the end of the season, at least won one race. Kenseth won three and finished fourth in the season's point standings, while Edwards, though he won just one race, lost out on the championship to Tony Stewart on a tiebreaker after tying him for the overall points lead.

Meanwhile, Biffle struggled through his second winless season in three years after six consecutive seasons with at least one visit to Victory Lane and finished 16th in points. For a driver who had made the Chase for the Sprint Cup the three previous seasons while finishing as high as third and no lower than sixth, it was a real eye-opener.

The same could be said for Robbie Reiser, RFR's general manager. He saw problems with the 16 team long before the end of the season, and set about attempting to fix them.

Reiser could not do that in earnest, however, until season's end. Then he really got to work.

"Obviously they started out the year and Greg Erwin was the crew chief. They had run well the year before, but some of that chemistry had worn out a little bit," Reiser said. "So in the middle of the season, we decided a crew chief change was in order. That crew chief situation on the 16 was not working, so we made the change and went to Matt Puccia.

"At that point, we kept the rest of the 16 crew together -- but whenever you change the management of a team, you change the character of it. Once we were able to get to the end of the season and downsize some of our personnel, that allowed us to pick some of our personnel apart and change that team dramatically."

In other words, Biffle's team may benefit from the fact that RFR has gone from four Cup teams to three, and also downsized its Nationwide Series program.

"Obviously the 3M team over the past three years has been a competitive team, but not a championship-driven team," Reiser said. "We had to sit down and say, 'OK, here are some of the things we needed to change.' We went back and changed our whole travel group. A lot of it was just to put some enthusiasm and younger guys in that were different from what they had before. We also looked at their over-the-wall group and kind of did an evaluation of some of our younger talent vs. some of our older talent, and made some changes there. That's why it's given us such a different look."

Biffle said he liked the new look at first glance during recent testing at Daytona International Speedway.

"I think those guys are ready to race hard and bring it to another level. ... I watched them work at Daytona and they were quick and smooth and got the car turned around in a hurry," Biffle said. "I really feel like it's going to be a good season."

“

If we start out the year and we don't have what we need on the 17 [of Kenseth] or the 99 [of Edwards] or the 16, we're going to make some changes. That's just part of the sport, and we need to be aggressive with that.

â€

-- ROBBIE REISER

Biffle said much of last year's woes were brought on by a flood of poor racing luck.

"I'm a believer that you make your own luck. But last year we had the crappiest luck that I've ever seen in my life. Ever," Biffle said.

In Las Vegas, for instance, Biffle felt he had the fastest car in the field at the start of the race but ended up finishing five laps down. At Michigan, a caution bit him on the final pit stop of the day, costing him a chance at victory.

"We show up at Charlotte and what can possibly happen?" Biffle added "Then you're sitting on pit road and your cool box is blowing hot air on you. I'm like, 'What's going on? I haven't even left pit road yet.' So then you go through all that stuff, and you come down to the end and you've got half a straightaway lead on the field with three laps to go. And Jimmie Johnson blows up and the caution comes out.

"You can call that bad luck; you can call it coincidence. Whatever it was, it just happened. We couldn't do anything right."

It got better after Reiser pulled the trigger on the crew chief change, replacing Erwin with Puccia. What bothered Reiser most was that he knew RFR was consistently putting good cars under Biffle, without consistently seeing the desired finishes.

"I think when you look at car performance, you have to look at the organization. And I think as an organization, we probably presented some of the best cars every week," Reiser said. "I don't want to say we were any better -- because there were a lot of cars that we went out there and competed against us that also were in good equipment. But we obviously worked hard to keep that up, where we could come in and run well right out of the box.

"So then we had to look at his team, and then take it apart and put it back together. We just looked at what would work best with Matt Puccia and his style, and have tried to get him some engineers to work with that fit his style. You start from the top and work your way to the bottom, trying to get him the pieces of the puzzle put together."

Biffle said he takes heart in the fact that Stewart's No. 14 Chevrolet team turned a struggling season into a championship one over the final 10 races in 2011. That gives him and his own team hope that they can execute a similar turnaround in 2012.

"The funny thing is that at one point, four or five races before the Chase, we were neck-and-neck with Tony Stewart, trying to take that Chase spot from him," Biffle said. "He'd be ahead of us and then we'd be ahead of him. And then he made the comment that they didn't even deserve to be in the Chase. We were like just clawing at his heels, trying to get that spot away from him.

"That'll give you an idea of how tight it can be and how things can suddenly turn for a team. It's the perfect example. The 14 team, they got it turned around a little bit, got upright in the boat, started popping the water out, made the Chase -- and then the rest is history. We just need that to happen now to the 16 team. That gives me the confidence that we can make it happen."

One thing is certain: if it doesn't happen right out of the gate, Reiser isn't likely to have much patience waiting for magic to occur. He admitted the jury is still out on the newly-configured 16 team, and more changes will be in order if it struggles again.

"Time will tell. Let's go into the season and see what we've got," Reiser said. "I will tell you that we won't be afraid to change some of this stuff. If we start out the year and we don't have what we need on the 17 [of Kenseth] or the 99 [of Edwards] or the 16, we're going to make some changes. That's just part of the sport, and we need to be aggressive with that."

hope not good for him for need some win and good tops for 2012 to be. hope he keeping..

thanks enjoy

[Garrett Duke]

You don't sound like you're a too big of a fan of Greg Biffle? Well y'all know he's not my favorite or second favorite, but I do like the Biff. Felt bad for him and Jeff Burton this year - they both seemed to have HORRIBLE luck and am hoping for better luck for both of them this year - though not as much luck as Gordon and Johnson.

[TRPColtrane95]

not really fan his either or any drivers I like but I like them for that because they are best drivers so far.. few I know but most not really since some join as rookie from nationwide are. they are interesting drivers unlike Danica, Steve Wallace(Rusty's son from St.Louis), Brad, etc like that.. oh well but yeah both Jeff burton and briffle problem getting lot wins and # cars is pretty good but problem with crew chief and owners is. hope they need change something better for future to be.

[TRPColtrane95]

not sure what we not seen watching check out:

http://www.nascar.com/news/120126/drodman-notebook-rolex/index.html

I wonder what happen to old IROC series racing not seen since that series does you? I love that watching.. like list winner of IROC series:

http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/headlines/cup/02/19/iroc.goes.to.auction/index.html

no more since 2006 I wonder what happening to be.. oh well might they not interesting that kind of racing does they? I love that one. does you?

oh well. miss that one. since they always on big track. oh dang.

[TRPColtrane95]

new infrom about Ragan's check out:

http://www.nascar.com/news/120201/dragan-learned-lessons-during-offseason-job-search/index.html

and

http://www.nascar.com/news/120201/thill-rick-ware-racing-season-outlook-2012/index.html

busch:

http://www.nascar.com/news/120131/kbusch-fsabates-friendship-leads-to-ride/index.html

lot news on them as well no idea they will drive in this year of season 2012 to be.. oh well

thanks enjoy

[TRPColtrane95]

they something better on Kansas speedway check out:

http://www.nascar.com/news/120204/kansas-speedway-casino-opens-road-course-construction/index.html

what you think they add some night race light and seats and others unlike you not seen before but I does because I live kansas for. drive from Olathe to Kansas Speedway on highway I-35 to 435 highway take me about less 30 to 1 hour drive same as when we went Doctor at KUMC about less 30 min drive on highway if not lot traffic on morning or later afternoon before 5pm as well.. they had some add extra on other side make more traffic new 3 or 4 add it make bigger and more better than before because too many people drive on north and south highway on I-35 was near Melcalf and Quivera Road where they fix new add it. In my Olathe, they add new hotel near I-35 and 119 street near to SuperTarget store and some restaurants as well.. lot going on for future to be wow.. oh well.. I glad for that. My old bank name first nation of olathe then change name Enterprise Trust Bank but same place of my bank where my money is like checking account is for. THat lot change in KCMO too.. they add some new building at KUMC too.

I hate that they add lot stuff for future unlike Speedway's had. Hope we will have first time night race unlike other tracks had. that nice. I like watching afternoon or night race.

thanks enjoy

[Garrett Duke]

Received some good Iowa NASCAR news today...

Landon Cassill, who got kicked out of his ride when Kurt Busch took over his car, has finally found himself a full time ride for 2012 with a team that is yet to be named or still in the making. The team has taken over Brian Vickers' old 83 car...Vickers had been thrown out of the 83 car last year when Red Bull Racing pulled out of NASCAR (pulling both cars.)

And since Vickers' old points will carry over to Cassill for the first five races of the season...and since he finished within the top 35, Cassill will be in the first five races.

Meaning Cassill will be in the Daytona 500! Landon had said this will be his first full time ride in NASCAR and his first Daytona 500 race.

Have to admit, that even though he is not Jeff Gordon or in the Hendrick team, was very disappointed to see Cassill had gotten kicked out of his old car for Kurt Busch. Was very excited to see he has found himself a new ride for this year...which will start in 15 more days!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Brian Coltrane]

This just in....Bubba Watson, the pro golfer who bought LEE 1 at the Scottsdale Auction, is gonna do a parade lap around the track with it on the Phoenix International Raceway on March 4.

Ya know, that guy is having the time of his life with that car. And it's gonna be cool to see a General Lee on a NASCAR track in front of a packed grandstand. Here's the article:

http://www.speedwaymedia.com/?p=21023

[Garrett Duke]

Thanks for the update Brian. Will be looking forward to seeing it on track..

BTW...only twelve days left til Daytona!

[Garrett Duke]

Well Brian...and everyone, hate to ruin all your excitement about The General being on track, but I bring y'all some sad news.

NASCAR has stated that they will not allow Bubba Watson to drive The General on the track due to the Confederate flag. Very sad to see The Dukes and The General cut down like this due to the flag and the negative thoughts that come about it when we all know that is not why the boys put it there to begin with. . .but I guess NASCAR does have to withhold it's image if they want to attract viewers across America and not just the south. Still disappointing for this Duke and NASCAR fan.

Here is the article I read it from: Bubba Watson and his General Lee.

On a brighter note...eight more days til Daytona. This Saturday night will start Speed weeks with the Bud Shootout Saturday night. Sadly it is looking like I will have to miss it, but am hoping to find a way to record it to watch Sunday or so. Anyway you look at it, I will write the summary up of it the best that I can.

On another sad note...Jimmie Johnson's car failed inspection with a too big C post modification. This is NOT the way I was wanting the 2012 season to start out for my #2 driver and am not happy about this, at all...though am sure JJ will prevail this. They said that they will wait to see if they will punish him or not until after the Feb. 26 Daytona race. They flew a new C post in to him today so that he could have it for practice. Gordon, Kahne, and Jr's car all passed inspections...

[Garrett Duke]

Here is another article on it. No General at PIR

[RogerDuke]

This issue has gotten coverage on HLN (HeadLineNews) and USA Today.

I'm pretty disappointed at NASCAR for banning the General Lee.

Political correctness has gotten out of hand. What are they going to do next, ban the pre-race prayer? Woops, I'd better not give them any ideas.

I could write much more about how I feel about this subject but our three moderators are smart enough to not allow politics here and I agree with that policy entirely so I'll share my strong views elsewhere....

and strong they are, since I'm very offended with the implication that good folks like Dukes of Hazzard fans have an evil side.

[Garrett Duke]

Well it looks like it is my turn to vent...

Jimmie Johnson's car failed car inspectiong BEFORE the Shootout race for having illegal "C" post (The part of the car that lines the back end of the side window that connects the roof to the car.) NASCAR stated they would deal with penalties AFTER the Daytona race.

Well it is after the Daytona race and this NASCAR fan is NOT happy at all about what they gave out. Jeff Gordon will always be number ONE in my book, but JJ is second.

NASCAR has fined Jimmie Johnson 25 driver points...and since he finished 42 at Daytona (as if that is NOT bad enough...) he is now -23 (MINUS POINTS!) behind the point leader. The article I read said he most likely will have to have a top twenty finish at Phoenix this Sunday in order to reach the zero mark!

They have fined car owner, JEFF GORDON, twenty-five owner points.

They have fined his crew chief, Chad Knaus, $100,000. Plus they placed Knaus and car chief Ron Malek on suspension for six weeks. Meaning they won't be back until the April 22nd race at Kentucky!

Hendrick is appealing it all and is positive they were not cheating. The car they ran at Daytona is the SAME car they used last year at restrictor plate races. Only thing changed was the pain scheme! Also said that Knaus and Malek is not the ones who work on that area of the car and even the guys who did work on it, says nothing has changed. They didn't do a thing to it!

Am so frustrated right now. As if getting wrecked on the second lap into the race wasn't bad enough...now this. Minus points even! If Knaus and Malek...and Johnson didn't do a thing with that part, why they getting hit so hard? Just don't make sense to me. Knaus has the reputation for breaking the rules from time to time, but he himself says the cc are paid to push the envelope as far as allowed...so perhaps they pushed it a little to far this time, but really? Does the penalty fit the crime? Especially since they changed the part out before the shootout race, they didn't even race with that dang illegal part on the car!

Well hopefully JEFF GORDON will win at Phoenix once again and JJ come home second..and am hoping Hendrick will WIN the appeal.

[Garrett Duke]

Well Rick Hendrick took the charges against the 48 team (Jimmie Johnson) to apeal this afternoon and it didn't do nothing. There is one last option to take it to another level...which he is going to do. Good for Mr. H.

I agree if the part was out of proportion according to the rules that some penalties should be applied...but 25 driver points? Suspending BOTH car cheif and crew cheif for SIX races? Fining cc Chad Knaus a hundred thousand dollars?! Just WAY too much for what the charge is. JJ didn't even put it on the track, didn't even race in it...not even in practice! How can they fail the same car that they passed inspection at least four times last year?

URGH just frustrated right now. Am really hoping the last stop will be the right stop for team 48...

[HossC]

The punishment does seem unduly harsh. F1 is a much more technical sport so the teams are always pushing the legal limits, but I don't remember a similar situation. Last year some of the teams complained that Red Bull's front wing was flexing too much, but it passed all the tests. Another contentious point last year was blown diffusers (they channel exhaust gases under the back of the car for more downforce). Some teams had them, some didn't, so the FIA (the governing body) banned them for one race before allowing them to the end of the season - they are banned this year as far as I know (new season starts this weekend). The last penalty I remember for an illegal part was given to Jenson Button (and his team-mate) for running an illegal fuel tank in a race in 2005. They got disqualified from that race and banned for another two races. As I said, that was in a race - teams often test parts in practice but take them off before a race. I hope this punishment gets overturned or at least reduced.

[Garrett Duke]

The punishment does seem unduly harsh. F1 is a much more technical sport so the teams are always pushing the legal limits, but I don't remember a similar situation. Last year some of the teams complained that Red Bull's front wing was flexing too much, but it passed all the tests. Another contentious point last year was blown diffusers (they channel exhaust gases under the back of the car for more downforce). Some teams had them, some didn't, so the FIA (the governing body) banned them for one race before allowing them to the end of the season - they are banned this year as far as I know (new season starts this weekend). The last penalty I remember for an illegal part was given to Jenson Button (and his team-mate) for running an illegal fuel tank in a race in 2005. They got disqualified from that race and banned for another two races. As I said, that was in a race - teams often test parts in practice but take them off before a race. I hope this punishment gets overturned or at least reduced.

Thanks Hoss. Me too. I heard online that JJ's crew cheif's reputation has a thing or two to do with the harshness of it. Back when this car was new...they had it in a few races first before going full season with it. Well in one race they were using COT (Car of Tomorrow) both Gordon's and Johnson's car was found with illegal measurements on it...cc's were suspended, points taken. I didn't understand them being so harsh to them back then and still don't...you make them drive a new car, it's bound to take 'em awhile to get everything right. (BTW...Darian Grubb (who was Stewart's CC last year) was JJ's replacement during the races Chad was suspended and JJ won the first two races with him...)

I know JJ's crew cheif Chad Knaus has been known to push the envelope so to speak a time or two...but as he said when he was suspended with Gordon's cc...they are paid to push the envelope as far as it will go. Sometimes it goes too far. But still feel like they should penalize him according to what was wrong and not what had happened SEVERAL years ago. Feel this is too harsh for what the crime is and really hope that the penalities will at least get reduced...

[TRPColtrane95]

yeah I hear all about it and did you see that on Daytona 500's first time bizarre on dry jet truck's ? and they finish very late morning and I did watch end race and did u? And also Denny win Phoenix and first time for Tony's win long time for Las Vegas victory! I happy for him as well.. what you think some schemes and new # numbers is? look better or same last year u like? Not forget watching best short track is Bristol! come up. Sorry not lot on this forum because busy and sick and not feel like talk lot on here often for me. I still watching racing on sunday. Bizarre for me on Daytona's first time for since many year like postpone rain delay on sunday to monday wow. How you feel about that huh? I glad Tony win for Las Vegas. But hope who win for Bristol sooner. Love watch lot spin and etc.