February 21, 2006

Knaus suspended through Atlanta: I'm not surprised by the penalty but I am surprised they didn't take points away from him.

posted by dbt302 to auto racing at 03:34 PM - 23 comments

I agree. Points SHOULD HAVE been taken away from the # 48 car. Dale Jr lost 25 points for saying "shit" after a race.

posted by Knoxba24 at 04:15 PM on February 21, 2006

There needs to be some kind of "set-in-stone" policy for rules violations. It seems that NASCAR dishes out punishment based on popularity and pecking order.

posted by wingnut4life at 05:32 PM on February 21, 2006

"There needs to be some kind of "set-in-stone" policy for rules violations. It seems that NASCAR dishes out punishment based on popularity and pecking order." You're right about that. NASCAR needs to be consistent when handing out penalties to different teams for the same infractions.

posted by usroute17 at 05:49 PM on February 21, 2006

If that was Kevin Harvicks crew Chief it would have been 8 races + $75,000 fine and 25 point deduction

posted by houston9388 at 06:13 PM on February 21, 2006

I agree....taking away points hurts way more to a front-running team like Hendrick than a fine. No more second chances for Knaus. Just reading some of Johnson's comments today, its pretty clear the 48 team is ready to move on without him should this happen again. Then again, maybe he's using the time off to figure out how to not get caught next time around.

posted by eccsport78 at 06:36 PM on February 21, 2006

How could they take away points when no race had been run when they caught him cheating? I do agree with the fine though.

posted by huskerfan94 at 06:37 PM on February 21, 2006

RE: Houston9388 This is in fact the exact same penalty Todd Berrier received for modifying the fuel system during a qualifying run next year. You lose points for "in race" infractions. Not pre race incidents. And all of us know that EVERY SINGLE CREW CHIEF IN THE SERIES CHEATS, some just do it better than others, and don't get caught.

posted by trey48fan at 06:46 PM on February 21, 2006

huskerfan94 is right, NASCAR did the right thing by not taking away any points. If the driver cusses in an interview after a race and NASCAR has set a precedent with 2 other drivers before him then they take away points. If the car doesn't pass inspection after the race then they take away points. If the driver does something stupid during or after the race then they take away points. If the driver goes below the yellow line at Daytona to gain an advantage and pass someone (unless the car is red and sponsored by a beer made in St. Louis) then they are black flagged. :o)

posted by Steeler_Fan at 06:56 PM on February 21, 2006

Steeler_Fan is also right. Nascar has let everyfans' favorite get away with passing under the yellow twice that I can remember in the past couple of years. While if anyone else does anything close to wrong ie( get near Orange car with a lumber company logo)it is an automatic pass though penalty.

posted by huskerfan94 at 07:08 PM on February 21, 2006

If points are only taken only for infractions during the race, then why was Terry Labonte fined both $$$ and points for the illegal carb in qualifying? Points should have been taken...

posted by tidnoc at 07:42 PM on February 21, 2006

if points are only taken only for infractions during the race, then why was Terry Labonte fined both $$$ and points for the illegal carb in qualifying? Points should have been taken... tidnoc, Here is the reason NASCAR gave. Pemberton said the difference between Knaus' penalty and the Hall of Fame penalty was Labonte's car had an illegal part. "When we lay our hands on that, that's when we generally go with points,'' he said. "In the case of [Johnson's car] it was all legal parts and pieces, the window and the jack bolt. :o)

posted by Steeler_Fan at 07:55 PM on February 21, 2006

Rick Hendrick must have pictures of Mike Helton and Brian France tag-team-fucking a goat or something, that's all I can figure.

posted by mr_crash_davis at 08:20 PM on February 21, 2006

Steeler-Fan, thanks for the explanation. Makes a little more sense, anyway.

posted by tidnoc at 08:27 PM on February 21, 2006

I wish that people would get fined points or money for generally sounding like an asshole and complaining about other racers aggressiveness before the race, and then coming out and proving themselves to actually be the most aggressive dangerous racer on the track. I think that is what should get the fines. money or points, I dont care... Hell, both would be best I say.

posted by everett at 09:28 PM on February 21, 2006

Excuse me, what do you call the part that made the window raise up? Legal? How do you have all legal parts and make them do what they did? Using legal parts to create an illegal situation is the same as having illegal parts to begin with. Labonte's car had an unauthorized carburetor. That same carburetor is authorized this week at California. Both cars had issues and one is just as bad as the other in Nascar's eyes. They didn't get these penalties correct. Jimmy Johnson said today in one of his many interviews that Nascar took the rear window and they replaced it. Nascar doesn't take parts that are legal. Nascar messed up.

posted by dbt302 at 10:24 PM on February 21, 2006

Crash said: "Rick Hendrick must have pictures of Mike Helton and Brian France tag-team-fucking a goat or something, that's all I can figure." Sounds like an answer I'd give. ;) I guess I look at things differently. Yeah, the crew chief should make sure that his crew doesn't screw up, but the mechanic or fabricator or whoever modified the car's ass should be benched, too, and not just Mr. Knaus's ass. And why should the driver be penalized for a crew screw up? Half the time, does he or she even know what the crew is doing? (If someone could clarify that for me, I would appreciate it.)

posted by Lissa at 12:37 AM on February 22, 2006

This is just another example of NASCAR failing to address a problem and prove that they want to end whatever it is they're upset about. So the 48 lost Knaus, so what?? A fine?? So what? Bottom line is they still won the Daytona 500, given the same scenario they'd do it again. Instead of ejecting the crew chief, imagine what would have happened had they ejected the 48 team from Daytona? Do you think that would have gotten Hendrick's attention?? And Lowes? Do that once NASCAR, and I'll bet you never see a crew chief willing to gamble like that again.

posted by eccsport78 at 12:59 AM on February 22, 2006

There needs to be some kind of "set-in-stone" policy for rules violations. It seems that NASCAR dishes out punishment based on popularity and pecking order. posted by wingnut4life at 5:32 PM CST on February 21 I agree with your statement. It seems NASCAR does allow certain people to get by with whatever. Be it "wreckless" driving or whatever. One driver in particular (# 20) gets by with whatever! I'm NOT a Gordon fan, but what Stewart does, NO MATTER how wrong it is, or how much it can hurt someone, he gets away with it! Last year, the most he had happen to him, was a talking to. What was that about? Poor Carl Edwards got black flagged for no reason the other day, and Stewart gets nothing???

posted by cbreck at 04:31 AM on February 22, 2006

I wish that people would get fined points or money for generally sounding like an asshole and complaining about other racers aggressiveness before the race, and then coming out and proving themselves to actually be the most aggressive dangerous racer on the track. I think that is what should get the fines. money or points, I dont care... Hell, both would be best I say. posted by everett at 9:28 PM CST on February 21 I couldn't agree with you more! Or what if a driver says that it's going to be a nasty race in daytona and that someones going to get hurt or maybe even killed and say when it happens they don't wanna be in the middle of it, then turn around in the race, and they themselves are causing the probalems???

posted by cbreck at 04:33 AM on February 22, 2006

eccsport78 - I'm with you. Crew chief being booted for a few races is like a light smack on the hand. NASCAR needs to get the attention of ALL NASCAR drivers,teams, sponsors and owners

posted by alljasz at 08:25 AM on February 22, 2006

You guys/gals are so much fun but you are a little bit naive sometimes. Please remember that NASCAR is not a sport - racin' is a sport in which NASCAR is involved - therefore, the $ is the icon of business and should be expected to be the primary consideration. To stay in tune with the morning, I do believe NASCAR is fully aware that HOME DEPOT can tell DeWALT to "go fuck a goat while we clean our shelves of that yaller stuff and put in all our own shit." Also, anybody who accepts Mike Helton's logic, or even believes that he will hand down a decision that has not run through the cash register, should have a port-a-potty, "an approved part," shoved up his/her ass.

posted by Bud Lang at 08:48 AM on February 22, 2006

YUP-DA -HUH!

posted by phrank at 09:31 AM on February 22, 2006

RE: Trey48Fan Kevin Harvick did get a point deduction last year for the fuel cell infraction at Talladega. I don't like it when they take driver's points for non race infractions, but come on NASCAR, find a little consistency and stop making up the rules as you go.

posted by jrodtn29 at 11:37 AM on February 22, 2006

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