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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- It's surprising marketing-savvy NASCAR will not be selling tickets to the post-Daytona 500 car inspection.
Based on the happenings of the past week, finishing ahead the rest of the field Sunday will not guarantee victory -- only passing inspection will do that.
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| Jeff Gordon's car failed postrace inspection which pushed him to start 42nd. (AP) |
"If you said, 'What is a predictable part of NASCAR and what could you predict?'" team owner Jack Roush said, "I can predict unpredictability.
"They've penalized, in some cases I think, more than precedent would dictate and common sense would allow; and on other things, they've given free passes to people that were clearly outside the box."
In 2006, No. 48 crew chief Chad Knaus was suspended for four races, and Jimmie Johnson suffered a 25-point penalty, for cheating during Daytona 500 qualifying.
This year, NASCAR has gotten tougher. But has it gotten tough enough?
The biggest 2007 controversy has concerned Michael Waltrip Racing and an illegal substance found in the fuel of the No. 55 Toyota. The violation resulted in suspensions for the crew chief and MWR's vice president of competition, plus a $100,000 fine and 100 point penalties to both the driver (Michael) and owner (wife Buffy).
Steep, but steep enough?
Although some people called for Waltrip's banishment from the 500, he was allowed to try to qualify using a backup car. He did so successfully ... after the backup passed inspection, of course.
Roush's No. 17 Ford and three Evernham Dodges had crew chiefs suspended, and were docked 25-50 points, for violations after last Sunday's qualifying. Kasey Kahne's car (and Matt Kenseth's) had illegal holes in the wheel wells, which could have improved aerodynamics. The cars of Scott Riggs and Elliott Sadler had modifications that allowed air to leak out of the trunk area.
Thursday night, Jeff Gordon won the second qualifying Duel in a car that later was found to be an inch too low. And an inch in this case is like saying the base runner ran 10 feet out of the baseline -- usually we're talking millimeters.
Gordon will start Sunday's Daytona 500 from the 42nd position, but he will retain the Duel victory and did not suffer a points penalty.
"I just think if you're low, you're low -- that's why they have post-race inspection for, and if you fail, you fail," Sadler said. "The win should be taken from you and things like that.
"I'm glad NASCAR is stepping up to the plate with stiffer penalties. I think it puts all of us in a tighter box."
NASCAR officials explained Gordon's victory was not taken away because they believed the violation was unintentional. And NASCAR never has erased a Cup win.
Richard Childress Racing's Jeff Burton indicated the past might not be the way to judge present-day cheaters.
"At some stage, (NASCAR is) going to say, 'It's not like that anymore -- if you get caught you're not going to get the race, and we're going to penalize you,'" said Burton, who checked out the dangling broken shock on Gordon's car and added it seemed to be honest mistake.
"I don't know how you win the race, but that's the way it has always been."
For years there have been jokes that the NASCAR rulebook is written in pencil, making it easy to change.
Many crew chiefs over the years have adhered to the philosophy, "It's my job to cheat, and it's NASCAR's job to catch me."
But now, with sponsors having a louder voice than ever, drivers and owners are calling for consistency and fairness when it comes to penalties.
NASCAR's way of being fair is telling everyone: Don't cheat and you have nothing to worry about. Cheat, and you'll suffer the consequences.
"I'm a proponent of big penalties," Burton said. "I think in any sport, the more severe the penalty, the more prone people are to do the right thing."
