Thirty-One Teams Have Parts Confiscated at Daytona!

Today (Thursday, Jul 4,2013) at Daytona International Speedway thirty-one different teams failed inspections and had their illegal parts confiscated by NASCAR.

Sixteen NACAR Sprint Cup Teams!  And after NASCAR found the Cup infractions, they decided to check the Nationwide garage.  Guess what!!! 

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The part in question were modified roof flap spacers that apparently were made lighter.  The spacers support the hinge bar of the roof flaps.

In addition to the sixteen Cup teams, there were also fifteen NASCAR Nationwide Series teams that had the same thing/problem.

If you look at the list of teams, you'll see quit a bit of crossover...

Cup Teams

• • Joe Gibbs Racing - Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth
• • Michael Waltrip Racing - Clint Bowyer, Michael Waltrip, Martin Truex Jr.
• • Penske Racing - Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano
• • Richard Petty Motorsports - Marcos Ambrose, Aric Almirola
• • Roush Fenway Racing - Greg Biffle, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Carl Edwards
• • Jamie McMurray and Casey Mears

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Nationwide Teams

• • Joe Gibbs Racing - Kyle Busch, Brian Vickers, Matt Kenseth
• • Richard Petty Motorsports - Michael Annett
• • Roush Fenway Racing - Trevor Bayne, Travis Pastrana
• • Blake Koch, Cole Whitt, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Landon Cassill, Mike Bliss, Reed Sorenson, Robert Richardson Jr., Jason White and Dexter Stacey.

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I don't think I've ever seen something this widespread happen at a race weekend... not so many teams for the same inspection issue.

It seems that there might have been a mentality about where the teams trim the "fat" of the weight of the cars.  And the modifications varied from team to team.

But NASCAR hands out these components, and expects the teams to use the parts, as is, as handed out.  The teams involved obviously took some "proactive" competitive measures.

I'm sure there will be more details to follow... at the least, penalties announced no later than next Tuesday.

Some ideas to keep in mind is that there are a few crew chiefs of these teams already on probation.  Those would be Keselowski and Logano.  But traditionally probations are focused on the same penalty being broken.  Not different ones.  (Then what's the point of the probation?)

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In case you don't know, the roof flaps are the flaps that pop up when a car gets out of hand and gets sideways or backwards.  It helps break up the air flow and prevent lift.  Breaking up the aero lift keeps the cars on the ground... in most cases.
-Bruce
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Huge Slew of Penalties for RCR's No. 27 Cup Team

NASCAR has always said if you muck with the car (Since the COT inception), we're bringing the hammer down on you, your team, every points field you're contending in, your friends, family... well, OK, maybe not the last two entries.

It seems that the No. 27 Sprint Cup team, wheeled by Paul Menard, found itself on the outs with NASCAR as they failed the Michigan post-race inspection.  (I guess it wasn't so "Pure!")  Considering the issue of safety with this particular competitive mod, I'm not surprised by the reaction one bit.

via press release

NASCAR has issued penalties, suspensions and fines to the No. 27 team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as a result of rules infractions discovered this week during post-race inspection at the NASCAR Research and Development Center following last Sunday's race at Michigan International Speedway.

The No. 27 team was found to be in violation of

Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing);

12-4K (race equipment that has been previously certified or previously approved by NASCAR for use in an event,

pursuant to sub-section 8-12, has been altered, modified, repaired or changed in any manner. Intentionally modifying frame rails for the purpose of deceiving NASCAR's inspection gauges) of the 2012 NASCAR Rule Book.

As a result, crew chief Slugger Labbe has been fined $100,000, suspended from NASCAR until Oct. 3 and placed on probation until Dec. 31. Car chief Craig Smokstad has been suspended from NASCAR until Oct. 3 and placed on probation until Dec. 31, while crew member Grant Hutchens has also been suspended from NASCAR until Oct. 3 and placed on probation until Dec. 31. Driver Paul Menard and owner Richard Childress have been penalized with the loss of 25 championship driver and owner points, respectively.

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   NASCAR-Bits-and-Pieces.com
on Twitter & Facebook .
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Improper Weights on the Sprint Cup No. 18 Car

Looks like there was something amiss with Kyle Busch's car last weekend, but the issue was found during practice, not the race.

via press release

No. 18 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Team Penalized For Rule Infractions

At Michigan International Speedway

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Aug. 21, 2012) – NASCAR announced today penalties and fines to the No. 18 team that competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, as a result of rule infractions at Michigan International Speedway.

The No. 18 car was found to be in violation of Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4J (any determination by NASCAR officials that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules); and 20-2.3A (improperly attached weight) of the 2012 NASCAR rule book. The infraction occurred during practice on Aug. 18.

As a result of the violation, crew chief Dave Rogers has been fined $25,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until Oct. 3. In addition, car chief Wesley Sherrill has been placed on NASCAR probation until Oct. 3.

Austin Dillon's First Win Tainted By Post-Race Inspection Failure

It was an incredible feat to see Austin Dillon to bring the iconic black No. 3 Chevy across the finish line first in Friday night's NASCAR Nationwide race, in the Feed the Children 300 at Kentucky Speedway.

It was a dominant win.  No one could touch him in the closing laps.  But now that first win is tainted with his winning car having failed the post-race inspection.

Jim Utter was the first to report last night (That I saw) that the No. 3 car failed inspection because the rear end of the car measured too low.

This morning on NASCAR Now, Andy Petree indicated that the failure was unintentional and did not give the car any kind of performance issue.  That confuses me just a touch.  It's always been my belief that a lower back end of acar gets the spoiler more out of the wind, hence, slightly less drag.

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I sincerely hope this is resolved to be discovered that this might have been an in-race parts failure.  To be honest, I expect nothing less.  Especially from this team.

But be it as it may, the dominant lead, Austin Dillon's first win, and now a post-race inspection failure will always be in the same sentence or fans minds.

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[thatsracinluckydog]

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   NASCAR-Bits-and-Pieces.com on Twitter & Facebook .

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Talladega Qualifying Inspection Failures

Kurt Busch and David Ragan's cars failed inspection after qualifying efforts for the UAW-Ford 500 at Talladega Superspeedway for their front ends being too low.

Their times are being disallowed and being sent to the back of the pack for the start of the race on Sunday.

SceneDaily

Vickers Fails Inspection

Brian Vickers failed the post qualifying inspection, his LF being deemed an 1/8th of an inch too low.

His qual times were disallowed, and he did not make the field.

http://www.scenedaily.com/stories/2007/06/25/scene_daily1107.html

NASCAR is tested again??