Thread: NASCAR decides on Tues Jimmy Johmson Appeal

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NASCAR on Tuesday is supposed to announce the decision on the Jimmie Johnson's team's appeal.I do understand why NASCAR wants to take away points of a team,but still I am having a hard time wrapping my head around Jimmie losing those points if he didn't know about the cheating.I would think to take away the two top people for 6 races and a fine would be tough enough on the team and set a example.Comments??.

Originally Posted by 1gary

I do understand why NASCAR wants to take away points of a team,but still I am having a hard time wrapping my head around Jimmie losing those points if he didn't know about the cheating.

They use a "sliding scale" if you will. It's not the first time the "team" has been busted for taking liberties with NASCARs baby, the cot.. Jimmie is part of that "team" and to impress upon the "team" and to add to the penalty, NASCAR has named the driver but they could've named any member of the "team". They (NASCAR) are just using Jimmie to show their displeasure. Chad Knaus has sat out races before. And I'm sure he'll sit out some more before he's done. That's what he's paid for, find an edge over the competition! If he didn't, his team would be an also ran and Hendrick wouldn't keep him around for long.

Chad Knaus has a less then stellar reputation - and my guess is that NA$CAR is reminding him that he is a flagrant abuser of the rule book and while what he did probably wouldn't have been so harshly dealt with for another team. Remember, his team of the four that Hendrick 'owns' is the only one busted. The other three passed the inspection just fine. Also, he, personally, might have a less then great relationship with NA$CAR - and NA$CAR is for all intents, owned by the France family. Now as far as him sitting and sweating on the pit box - he will probably be glued to a widescreen monitor in a nice air conditioned motor home in a nearby parking lot or campground and either have phone or radio contact with the pits and/or Johnson during the race. Not a big deal.

I am not a Hendrick fan and never will be. But the one issue I have is that I read that nascar did not use the template on the car, at least that is what Hendrick and Johnson were saying. If that is true, I don't see how they can call the car illegal. As far as I'm concerned, the entire Hendrick team could be banned and I would not mind it, but don't think they can call the car illegal without using the templates since they have said the templates set the standard. Did anybody else read or hear that?

I heard that it was VISUAL------what does that mean???? Looks to me like you boys have that too small------

Speaking of Chad---remember the famous cheater several years ago that was fined, fined, fined, and then hired as the Nascar head tech guy??? don't remember his name---my birthday is tomorrow but I don't know how old I am-----or where the traler is!!!!!!!!!!

I read the template fit but above and below the template was what NASCAR was concerned about.

Jerry, I think it was Gary Nelson who bent the rules as a crew chief before becoming the tech guy. BTW - Happy B-day.

even Robin Pemberton more recently,now vp of comp

and yes I think I was thinking of Gary Nelson

Happy Birthday Jerry.

I also heard that the template never touched the car. It was just an inspector that walked by and saw something that he did not like. Probably saw Chad!!!!.

If that is the case then I agree, I do not see how they can be penalized at all because the car never made it to inspection. I also heard that Chad did not argue with the inspector. He had some "correct" C posts sent from the shop and installed them. Speaks volumes.

All of the teams play with the rule book and in the grey area. That is their job to find every advantage "within the rules".

Chad basically insulted NASCAR at Talladega by telling Jimmy to wreck the back of the car if he won the race. Do that too much and he will be banned.

Well I read on Yahoo news there is still a final appeal so Chad will be at Bristol.


Jimmie Johnson's #48 Hendrick Motorsports team lose penalty appeal - NASCAR news - AUTOSPORT.com

Here is interesting quote from another article.I does sound like someone is trying to throw team 48 under the bus.

Knaus said the car in question ran all four restrictor-plate races in 2011, and had previously been through inspection with the same C-pillars -- the posts that run from the roof to the rear deck lid, separating the side and rear windows -- attached. Should the appeal be unsuccessful, he and Malec face the prospect of being sidelined until the Sprint Cup event at Talladega in May.

I aways thought that a pre race inspection was to see if the car was legal to race, and if not to either correct it or not race, there are gray areas in the rules. No penalties because it has not been in competition, A post race inspection failure would be the one for penalties

Originally Posted by 53 Willys

I aways thought that a pre race inspection was to see if the car was legal to race, and if not to either correct it or not race, there are gray areas in the rules. No penalties because it has not been in competition, A post race inspection failure would be the one for penalties

My thinking is that NA$CAR was catching up with him for remarks like at Talladega when he 'suggested' to Johnson that if he won, to wreck the car's rear end. Then there was Hendrick protesting that this same car had been run several times previously and had won. Knaus is and has been under a magnifying glass if not a microscope for past transgressions and will continue to be through his career

I would really like to know for sure if the template actually touched the car THAT weekend or if it was just a visual. This would do it for me for NASCAR if the template never touched the car. I hate bullies and if that is the case then NASCAR is just being a bully and I WILL stop watching anything that NASCAR is involved with.

Come on guys, it's a game and in this case it's NASCAR's game.... When you go to a track to race you are under that sanctioning bodies rules and the way they choose to enforce them, same with IMCA, USAC, USMTS, WISSOTA, NHRA, and all the rest. Playing with the car in the grey areas is part of racing, always has been and always will be. Once you're caught you're watched closer and you learn to become more discreet in your "interpretation" of the rules and the inspector becomes more diligent in his enforcement of the rules. None of these sanctioning bodies are run as a democracy. When you join the organization to race, you sign an agreement stating that it's their game and their rules and their word is final. This appeal process is just something to catch an inspector who is "out to get" a certain individual or team and prevent an inspector from tossing a car out of inspection for no reason. The rules are still arbitrarily enforced by the sanctioning body and their decision is final.

Knaus is a very sharp crew chief and is just doing his job when he pushes the build of a car into the grey areas of the rule book. This is his 6th encounter with an inspector catching him at rule bending so of course he is under more scrutiny then the other teams! I would also imagine he's not the only one doing it, and the 'C' pillar issue probably isn't the only component on the car that is out their in that grey area... it's just that (again) he got caught! In these days of electronic technology, banning him and the car chief from the track means little. They will still be in constant contact with whomever is sitting on the box and still making the calls on the car. Rick Hendrik will pay the fines, and Johnson will still drive the car. Also, if you remember, the last two times the 48 team was docked 25 car points they went on to win another championship!!!! But it all sure does make for great press! I'm not saying that the publicity was NASCAR's only intention, but I'm also quite sure it's a very welcome by product of catching Chad at yet another of his 'interpretations' of the rule book!!!!

As a personal footnote, Chad is lucky it's NASCAR and not some of the other sanctioning bodies! Years back we were caught for the 2nd time bending the rules a bit and were banned from all competition put on by that sanctioning body for a year! With the resources the 48 team has, all this is just another slap on the hand and will do little more then put the team's back against the wall and make them stronger then ever, just as it has the last two times NASCAR penalized them for similar rules infractions and they went on to win a championship....

It's NASCAR's playground and NASCAR's rule book---don't ever think for a moment that it is some kind of democracy where the participant's opinion actually means anything!!! All the participants understand that when they bring their car to the track.