NASCAR Penalties

[34_40]

Anyone else notice that both Penske & Gibbs managed to get their penalties/fines reduced?

Rightfully so for Gibbs but I think Penske was caught like a few before him and they never had their fines reduced!

But NASCAR has to live by the findings and that's that!

[Dave Severson]

The entire penalty thing is getting so far out of wack anyway..... To me it seems that most of the time NASCAR just takes the shotgun approach when something shows up outside the rules...just fine and penalize everybody!!!!! Operating in the grey area used to be where the best crew chiefs operated and won a lot of races. Now there is no grey area allowed! What's next? Issue the teams a car when they show up at the track and take all forms of engineering ingenuity out of the car????

[34_40]

It's pretty close to that now right?!?! The chassis is exactly the same for them all, the sides are the same and only the very front and the very ends of the cars are different, but the final shape was set by NASCAR after using a wind tunnel to set drag numbers....

And we also agree that it's just crazy with the penalties! But this time the appeal process worked and I'm sure NASCAR isn't pleased about their decision.

[Dave Severson]

I will have to say that NASCAR did better on this new car, at least there are differences that allow the average Joe in the stands to cheer on his favorite marque, but I do wish they would quit being so dang arbitrary and allow a bit of innovation in the building of the cars, it's like they (Robin Pemberton and friends) seem to think they are the only ones who can design safe and fast into a race car!!!! As a Crew Chief, Pemberton did win races, but he was most noted for cheating!!!!!!

[jerry clayton]

Funny, I was going to post about how the only way thet stopped Robin from cheating was by hiring him as tech director to catch the rest of the cheaters-------

[34_40]

If you can't beat'em, Join'em... or.. maybe in this case it was more like the Gov't. When they wanted to learn about rockets, they grabbed all the german technology and scientists they could! Didn't matter that we had been at war with'em..

Who better to catch a "thief".... LOL..

And it used to be "pushing the envelope".. Not cheating. Just working within the spirit of the rules right?!?!

[Dave Severson]

Yeah, if NASCAR was looking for someone highly experienced in reading between the lines and working in the grey area of the rules, they got the right guy when they hired Pemberton!!!! I'm sure the Tech Inspectors for NASCAR have their hands full keeping everyone honest, but I'd sure like to see a bit of flexibility on their part when it comes to the teams coming up with innovative solutions to various challenges the cars present!!!! NASCAR, like Indy Car and other organizations are already down to about 3 engine builders for 80% of the cars, they mandate what gear ratio choices there are for each track, maximum and minimum settings for caster and camber, and a whole host of other "controls". Just seems there should be some latitude in what the teams can do to improve their performance.

[jerry clayton]

Spec Racing???????????? sorta like IROC?????????????

[Dave Severson]

Spec Racing???????????? sorta like IROC?????????????

I've had some involvement with SCCA Spec Racers, way more leniency than in NASCAR's rule book!!!

The old IROC series was one of my favorites, racers from all venues competing in cars all prepped by the same shop!!!! A real driver's race!!!! Unfortunately the whole show died from lack of interest....... let's hope NASCAR doesn't go that way!!!!

When NASCAR came out with the "have at it, boys" philosophy and let drivers be drivers I was really hoping their next move would be to let builders be builders.... Guess that ain't gonna happen!!