they are going to dump major amounts of cash into NASCAR

2/12/2007 11:56:32 PM

"whatever is necessary"

yup. because the amount they spend to make toyota viable in nascar will come back 100 times in sales.

2/13/2007 12:14:58 PM

17 and 9 crew chiefs kicked out of daytona, suspensions coming.

2/13/2007 1:47:16 PM

so who wins the five hunderred? One vote for Smoke.

2/13/2007 4:26:30 PM

i'd put money on stewart causing a wreck.

2/13/2007 4:45:42 PM

Quote :

"DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 13, 2007) – NASCAR announced Tuesday that four NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series crew chiefs have been suspended from competition, starting with Sunday’s season-opening Daytona 500. Two of the four – Ken Francis, crew chief for the No. 9 Dodge driven by Kasey Kahne; and Robbie Reiser, crew chief for the No. 17 Ford of Matt Kenseth – have been suspended for four races and fined $50,000. Also, Kahne and Kenseth were penalized with the loss of 50 driver championship points while their car owners, Ray Evernham and Jack Roush, were penalized 50 car owner championship points. The violations by the No. 9 and No. 17 teams were found during post-qualifying inspection on Feb. 11. Both teams’ qualifying times were disallowed. Two others – Rodney Childers, crew chief for the No. 10 Dodge driven by Scott Riggs; and Josh Browne, crew chief for the No. 19 Dodge driven by Elliott Sadler – have been suspended for two races and fined $25,000. In addition, Riggs and Sadler were penalized 25 driver championship points while their car owners, James Rocco and Evernham, were penalized 25 car owner championship points. The violations by the No. 10 and No. 19 teams were found prior to qualifying. In each instance the violations were of Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing), 12-4-Q (car, car parts components and/or equipment not conforming to NASCAR rules) and 20-2.1E (unapproved aerodynamic modification) of the series rule book."

2/13/2007 4:50:42 PM

^got to be the first time a driver has had negative points before the season started. nice

2/14/2007 7:02:14 AM

waltrip's crew suspended indefinitely

2/14/2007 1:30:36 PM

Quote :

"#55 manifold confiscated; car impounded UPDATE 6 #00 reskin? have to use #32?: during pre-qualifying inspection, the intake manifold of the #55 NAPA Toyota of Michael Waltrip was confiscated by NASCAR, it didn't meet specifications and the team had to install another one.(SPEED's NASCAR Live), been told there was a substance on the inside of the manifold and it was taken away in a black bag, will be taken to NASCAR R&D center in Concord, NC to be examined, Waltrip's team was allowed to change engines, go thru tech inspection and make a qualifying attempt, Waltrip qualified 25th.(2-11-2007) UPDATE: the #55 Toyota was impounded by NASCAR and Hunter said the car would be inspected 'with a fine tooth comb'.(PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)(2-11-2007) UPDATE 2: NASCAR impounded the #55 NAPA Toyota of driver/owner Michael Waltrip after qualifying. NASCAR officials confiscated the intake manifold off Waltrip's Camry during a prequalifying inspection. NASCAR officials don't know if Waltrip's car is illegal. Waltrip's fate is up in the air. Hunter said NASCAR officials decided to impound the car before qualifying, but allowed Waltrip to make a qualifying run after placing a new manifold on the car. Now NASCAR officials will inspect the entire car to determine if any violations exist. "Our inspectors will go over that car a with a fine-tooth comb," Hunter said. "I don't know how long we will keep it. As of right now, we do not know that the manifold is illegal, but we want to know." Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's director of competition, said officials sent the manifold to the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C., for testing Monday. "Our inspector caught a substance inside that we didn't really know what it was," Pemberton said about the manifold. Pemberton wouldn't give specifics about the problem, but Waltrip said inspectors found oil inside the manifold. "And it's not supposed to be there," Waltrip said. "So they took it to see why the oil was there. I don't really understand what is going on, and people here a lot smarter than me don't understand it either, but we'll figure it out. I'm sure it'll be fine." Hunter wasn't buying Waltrip's explanation. "Our inspection team was not comfortable that it was oil," Hunter said. Pemberton said the situation with the #55 problem was not specific to any individual manufacturer. (ESPN.com)(2-12-2007) UPDATE 3: Waltrip's Toyota was impounded, with Hunter raising the possibility Waltrip will not be allowed to run that particular car in the 150s or the 500. "We'll go over that car with a fine-tooth comb ... and I don't know how long we'll keep it," Hunter said. Sterno? That's the horsepower trick that rivals suspect tripped up Waltrip when he was busted by NASCAR in the pre-qualifying inspection line for having some unknown "substance" in his intake manifold. NASCAR's Robin Pemberton, the vice president for competition, said that the manifold was being sent back the Concord R&D center for analysis. Presumably the substance could have been some type of oxidant, to provide a bit of horsepower for a short period of time. For years, stock-car teams have at times used such illegal chemical additives at Daytona and Talladega, where NASCAR severely restricts air to the engine, to limit speeds. Ty Norris, the general manager of Waltrip's team, insisted that it was not Sterno: "No, no, no, no. They found some oil in the manifold and said it shouldn't be there," Norris said. "They thought something was amiss. So we changed manifolds, and had the same issue. We showed NASCAR we thought it was blow-by engine oil.(Winston Salem Journal)(2-12-2007) UPDATE 4: Waltrip told Marty Smith on ESPN's NASCAR Now that he will get the car back to practice on Wednesday and run the Gatorade Duel's 150. Smith also said that NASCAR told him penalties would not be announced until late Tuesday afternoon at the earliest or as late as Wednesday.(2-12-2007) UPDATE 5: Marty Snider of Sirius NASCAR Radio, Ch 128 reported that NASCAR has not given the primary car back, has given no indication if the team will get the car back or any penalties, the #55 team is preparing the backup car from #00-Reutimann's team to practice today, which is scheduled to start at 12:00noon/et.(2-14-2007) UPDATE 6: Sirius NASCAR Radio, Ch 128 had PRN's Mark Garrow on the Driver's Seat show this morning and reported that the team had taken a #44 Toyota is reskinning the car and putting the #32 on the car, soucres say the #55 team and Waltrip may be ejected. Waltrip bought the #32 owners points [going with the #00 team] and Cal Wells is listed as the #00 owner. AND MORE: Garrow is reporting that crew chief David Hyder is not at the track and SPEED's NASCAR Live reported that NASCAR fired up the engine and the substance reappeared, now NASCAR has put up a 50-foot perimeter to keep anyone out of the area and has pulled the engine out of the car. UPDATE 7: the car will not be #32, but is #55 and it is a Reutimann backup. Waltrip has declined interviews, probably will not be allowed to practice in the first practice. The team is still preparing the car. Also word around the garage is Waltrip could be suspended a few races and crew chief Hyder suspended as long as the full season.(2-14-2007)"

$20 says NAPA will leave NASCAR entirely by the end of the year.

And everyone, don't act all of a sudden NASCAR is putting their foot down and getting serious about rules enforcement. When they do this to the #24, #8, or #48, that's when you know they got serious.

[Edited on February 14, 2007 at 1:49 PM. Reason : .]

2/14/2007 1:47:21 PM

NAPA won't be out.....they got too much invested in Mikey to bail.

2/14/2007 1:57:28 PM

Yeah...and that investment is paying for the team to be suspended for a period of races most likely. NAPA aren't getting that money back.

If the 55 is suspended for races, then Waltrip will not be in the top 35 in points all season. Which means he has to be one of the eight best "other guys" every single weekend. And this season, there are something like 50 full-time cars and drivers. NAPA have a lot of money they have spent with Mikey, but they won't continue to spend it just to sit on the sideline.

Sponsors come, sponsors go. It's the one constant in NASCAR.

[Edited on February 14, 2007 at 2:16 PM. Reason : .]

2/14/2007 2:13:21 PM

i really want to know what this substance is. MWR and Napa are going to be receiving a ton of attention, good or bad, regardless of the outcome of the penalties.


It won't be the end of the world if the #55 team is suspended. MW bought the other team and can just transer over there and run as a different number, same sponsors. If nascar lists MW and the crew chief specifically as being suspended, that's where some problems are going to come up.

[Edited on February 14, 2007 at 2:55 PM. Reason : ]

2/14/2007 2:53:37 PM

^ Rumor on jayski is that it was jet fuel.

Commercial jet fuel is glorified kerosene pretty much. So maybe he was trying to create more horsepower by having higher combustion in the cylinder (kerosene has a lower ignition temperature).

The #55 crew chief and Michael Waltrip Racing's director of competition have been walked out of the facility by Robin Pemberton. Pemberton enforcing NASCAR rules against cheating would be a bit like Barry Bonds in five years heading up MLB's anti-drug program.

[Edited on February 14, 2007 at 3:06 PM. Reason : .]

2/14/2007 2:57:08 PM

jet fuel? yikes.

conspiracy theory

someone slipped a couple gallons of jet a into their fuel tank while the car was in line to be teched

2/14/2007 3:00:23 PM

From elsewhere:

Quote :

"My buddy said that it's a 60's drag racing trick. Mixing a little av-gas in with the regular race fuel boosted the octane, creating more power."

2/14/2007 3:22:26 PM

there's a difference between avgas and jet fuel though. jet fuel has a really low octane rating.

^ just saw that comment on the speed tv forums. I've been busy all day and haven't been following the drama over there today.

[Edited on February 14, 2007 at 3:34 PM. Reason : ]

2/14/2007 3:30:16 PM

^ Yeah. AvGas is more likely than jet fuel based on what I've read about the two fuels. It's probably reported as jet fuel cause reporters don't know better or the difference between the two.

2/14/2007 3:50:53 PM

Because of Kenny Francis' suspension, one of 'our own' will be the lead man on the pit box for the No. 9 this weekend. kmrodden will be the "team director" as they call it at Evernham.

Quote :

" DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Team owner Ray Evernham will sit atop the pit box for Evernham Motorsports' No. 19 Dodge driven by Elliott Sadler during the Gatorade Duel 150-mile qualifying race Thursday, team officials confirmed Wednesday. Evernham will share responsibilities as team director, Evernham's vernacular for crew chief, with car director Kirk Almquist. Tim Malinovsky and Chad Johnston will serve as Sadler's engineers. Tuesday, NASCAR suspended all three of Evernham's team directors, Kenny Francis (Kasey Kahne's No. 9 team) for four races and Rodney Childers (Scott Riggs' No. 10) and Josh Browne (No. 19) for two apiece. Team enginner Keith Rodden will serve as Kahne's team director, with support from car director Rich Hubbs and engineer Nick Hughes. Kevin Kidd will be Riggs' team director, with support from car director Dave Bryant and engineer Mike Wolfe. "

Good luck!!!

2/14/2007 4:04:36 PM

that's awesome!

2/14/2007 4:23:51 PM

NASCAR press conference.

Crew chief Hyder and team's vice president of operations Kennedy ejected from the speedway and suspended indefinitely.

Hyder fined $100,000. Waltrip loses 100 points driver and owner.

One of the rules broken was he blended fuel with additives.

Investigation of car ongoing.

Waltrip will be allowed to take part in tomorrow's Twin race.


Geez NASCAR, how convenient. Right before 6 o'clock so Sportscenter can get it and you're top story and this press conference has been expected since lunchtime. Was Brian France a big fan of Vince McMahon's way of running business and getting publicity?

2/14/2007 5:58:59 PM

this is huge.

2/14/2007 5:59:52 PM

^ Eh, not really. The money fine is really not a big deal. If Waltrip were guaranteed a starting spot (top 35 car), the 100 points would not be a big deal. He wasn't making the Chase anyway.

If he was forced to miss races, as was the car, then it would be a big deal.

NASCAR has always always always talked a big game and then they always do what's best for the bottom line. They knew there was no way they could ban Waltrip cause that would piss off NAPA, who put a lot of money into the sport via exposure and pure money spent. They also knew that they would have to apply the same to their big-name drivers if it happened to them, which is not going to happen.

2/14/2007 6:05:29 PM

not the fines itself, that's nothing (the money) to them. just the whole idea that the team had to have tested this and known that something would have coated the intake manifold and could be seen during inspection.

2/14/2007 6:08:23 PM

I don't know how they thought they were going to get away with this, it's very blatant I agree. I doubt the director of operations had any idea what's going on, so removing him (in addition to the crew chief) shows that NASCAR were pissed off about it. Crew chief would be highest technical position that would have knowledge of this.

Although someone thinks this was shielded:

Quote :

"Actually, I think [Pemberton] looks like he frustrated because someone almost completely pulled the wool over their eyes. The nature of the violation, and that the "additive" itself might have been harder to detect creates a real issue for NASCAR. I think Robin is really dealing with a problem where they came VERY, VERY close to getting taken advantage of."

Hermie Sadler is making my point, "Michael Waltrip has to be relieved..."

[Edited on February 14, 2007 at 6:17 PM. Reason : .]

2/14/2007 6:13:49 PM

Hey packboozie, I have met both of them and they are fags....you are also one for defending them

2/14/2007 6:23:23 PM

I guess they had to pull out all the stops to make those toyotas competitive.

2/14/2007 6:29:15 PM

^ Well that's the thing. This was only in Michael Waltrip's car. It wasn't even in the other 2 team cars to Michael Waltrip (Jarrett and Reutimann). That means it had to be Waltrip's crew chief or race engineer acting alone.

2/14/2007 6:32:53 PM

mikey had to be feeling a lot of pressure to make the race, i mean he missed 4 or 5 races at the end of last year

on another note, this nascar now show blows. they have just said the same thing 5 or 6 times in the past 40 minutes

2/14/2007 6:38:47 PM

the idea that 2 toyotas will make the chase is ridiculous. there wont even be a toyota in the top 20 in points. they are going to really struggle until they get to Sonoma. after that they'll start running better.

as far as my predictions...being a 48 fan I'm inclined to call for a repeat but I'm not sure yet. Tony is going to be hard to beat this year.

2/14/2007 6:43:11 PM

^ I'll bet you $100 that a Toyota will make Top 20 in points.

2/14/2007 6:47:07 PM

^ i dont bet on NASCAR...too many variables 1 vs. 43 with mechanical parts is completely different than a football game. if for some reason a toyota IS in the top 20, i think that it will only be one driver and probably Dale Jarrett only because of his experience

2/14/2007 6:54:00 PM

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?seriesId=2&id=2765503

Quote :

"Waltrip's crew chief, David Hyder, and competition director, Bobby Kennedy, were suspended indefinitely by NASCAR on Wednesday after an illegal substance was found in the engine of Waltrip's car during Sunday's qualifying for the Daytona 500. A NASCAR source confirmed Hyder will be fired."

Quote :

"Toyota isn't resting on an apology. Company officials are expected to send a letter out to all Toyota teams next week stating Waltrip's organization has used two of the company's three strikes. The next team that crosses the line will face the loss of the manufacturer's support."

2/14/2007 11:10:44 PM

Quote :

"And everyone, don't act all of a sudden NASCAR is putting their foot down and getting serious about rules enforcement. When they do this to the #24, #8, or #48, that's when you know they got serious."

Yeah, no points lost, or impounding of the car was Johnson's penalty, though he did lose Knaus. That team is good enough with or without him. Jr had that issue over profanity a couple years ago, but that's it. But yeah, NASCAR definitely plays favorites.

Quote :

"Team enginner Keith Rodden will serve as Kahne's team director, with support from car director Rich Hubbs and engineer Nick Hughes. Kevin Kidd will be Riggs' team director, with support from car director Dave Bryant and engineer Mike Wolfe. " "

Hell yeah, that's nice. I went to school with Keith's brother. Good luck man.

2/14/2007 11:50:42 PM

Quote :

"Geez NASCAR, how convenient. Right before 6 o'clock so Sportscenter can get it and you're top story and this press conference has been expected since lunchtime. Was Brian France a big fan of Vince McMahon's way of running business and getting publicity?"

Because of ESPN's renewed relationship with NASCAR, and more specifically the Busch Series, it would have been covered all the same, regardless of the timing of the release.

2/15/2007 12:08:44 AM

most people are now saying the substance was Sterno which would give the car more horsepower. I really dont think.. and hope that Waltrip didn't have anything to do with that. Regardless whether or not he know about it.. he had no other choice than to fire the crew chief, whose actually from High Point I believe.

and going back to what was said earlier.. NAPA will NOT be out of Nascar after this year. I do believe their contract runs up after this year but they're is too much upside with the Toyota's.. even though i think it will take them atleast half the season to adjust so you shouldnt expect anything out of them until next year... and Michael is a pretty good driver.. the advertisement and having their name in the sport has done a lot.

and Whether you like Waltrip as a driver or not he's a heck of a spokesman

2/15/2007 12:33:26 AM

are NOW saying it's sterno? they've (fans/speculation) been saying that since they first impounded the car. But it ISN'T sterno because NASCAR said during the press conference yesterday that it wasn't something you could get on the street.

2/15/2007 9:12:54 AM

so how exactly does the race in start? do you have to win your 150 or just be the first of the drivers who havn't qualified yet? they've got unofficial standings on Jayski lap 49/60 of the first 150 if anyone's interested

green-white-checker finish.. Tony Stewart wins.. Michael Waltrip races in

[Edited on February 15, 2007 at 3:53 PM. Reason : a]

2/15/2007 3:25:44 PM

Of the 8 non-guaranteed spots, we know 6.

Racing in from the first Twin:

Michael Waltrip
Boris Said

Racing in from the second Twin:

x
x

Getting in on a champion's provisional:

Dale Jarrett

Getting in on time (at least in the case of drivers in the second Twin):

Sterling Marlin (second Twin)
Johnny Sauter
David Reutimann (second Twin)

Could be getting in on time if circumstances fall right:

Jeremy Mayfield
Mike Skinner (second Twin)

So if Marlin or Reutimann race their way in, Jeremy Mayfield qualifies.
If Marlin and Reutimann race their way in, Mike Skinner qualifies.

[Edited on February 15, 2007 at 4:04 PM. Reason : .]

2/15/2007 4:02:59 PM

fuck waltrip.


to "race in" you need to be in the top two of the the guys who were NOT in the top 35 at the end of last year.

2/15/2007 4:03:14 PM

i'm glad waltrip made it in--he is a geniuinely nice guy

his crew chief (or ex crew chief now) has a not so checkered past in regards to cheating. He has been in violation of rules in previous years. I used to watch him crew chief a late model team in virginia and have see him get kicked out of the track for messing with fuel/tires so it really didnt shock me

2/15/2007 4:08:14 PM

Cheating in racing is not like cheating in other sports, it's more like cheating in pro wrestling.

If you cheat, and the "referee doesn't see you" cheat, you're a genius.

Every single crew chief on that pit road has knowingly cheated before. Heck, it was only a couple years ago that almost half the field was thought to be using traction control.

[Edited on February 15, 2007 at 4:11 PM. Reason : .]

2/15/2007 4:10:51 PM

yeah really glad Waltrip made it in.. whats the deal with Elliott? Jayski said something like he could use champ provision if #44(Jarrett races in)

Lets go Reutimann!

[Edited on February 15, 2007 at 4:11 PM. Reason : a]

2/15/2007 4:11:39 PM

i know that, i'm just saying that he had a past of cheating and getting caught..you'd think if you constantly get caught, you'd start being more discreet


^ Jarrett gets the past champ. prov so Elliott is going home

[Edited on February 15, 2007 at 4:13 PM. Reason : ^]

2/15/2007 4:12:28 PM

how long before DW refers to juan pablo as "speedy gonzalez"?

2/15/2007 4:46:49 PM

On Speed Channel, John Darby and Brian Pemberton are underneath Jeff Gordon's car with a flashlight. Apparently, they saw something they didn't like.

Uh oh.

2/15/2007 6:42:50 PM

they are prolly looking for the guy that got Jeff Gordon's wife pregnant

2/15/2007 7:57:29 PM

:shakes head:

2/15/2007 8:07:07 PM

Gordon stripped of his starting position, will start 42nd Sunday.

2/15/2007 8:07:45 PM

ride height too low due to a broken part.

and still drop him to the back

2/15/2007 8:15:48 PM

not broken, installed with teeth not meshing so it slipped....

2/15/2007 8:29:18 PM