Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon fail inspection

[JoseA]

SONOMA, Calif. (AP) -- The cars of defending NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson and series points leader Jeff Gordon failed inspection and were barred from all activity Friday at Infineon Raceway, including qualifying.

NASCAR said the No. 24 and No. 48 Chevrolets, both owned by Hendrick Motorsports, had modifications to the front fenders that were deemed illegal during morning inspection.

The Hendrick crews will be allowed to fix them and they can race in Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350, although starting from the rear of the 43-car field. Gordon, the four-time series champion, is the defending race winner.

Article

My classic NASCAR saying:

Ch,ch,ch,ch cheaters!

They deserve to start last, it seems like the people at Hendrick Motorsports are dirty rotten cheaters, and you hear about them during it the most.

[JoseA]

Gordon, Johnson OK to practice, race at Sonoma:

SONOMA, Calif. -- Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, who were not allowed to participate in any on-track activities on Friday after their cars failed initial inspections, were first on the track for practice Saturday morning at Infineon Raceway.

NASCAR cleared both cars for Sunday's race at the 1.99-mile road course.

Gordon and Johnson were parked on Friday after officials discovered the front right fenders were flared out beyond the wheel well on both cars.

Both teams will face major penalties for the infraction when NASCAR reviews the case early next week.

Article

Johnson and Gordon will be starting 41st and 42nd. This is only the 2nd violation in NASCAR for the Car of Tomorrow. Expect some stiff penalties, and the crew chiefs on each team should be expected to miss at least 6 races, not to mention some big money/points.

This is the biggest incidenet since Mickey's and his jet fuel at Daytona lol

[JoseA]

Both docked 100 points:

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- NASCAR showed again it won't tolerate any modifications to its Car of Tomorrow by levying stiff penalties against Hendrick Motorsports drivers Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and their crew chiefs Tuesday.

Gordon, the four-time series champion, and Johnson, the defending Nextel Cup champion, were each docked 100 points. Crew chiefs Chad Knaus and Steve Letarte were both fined $100,000 and suspended for six races because their cars failed an initial inspection at Infineon Raceway.

The penalties are a blow to Hendrick Motorsports, which has 10 wins this season -- four each from Gordon and Johnson. Team owner Rick Hendrick said he was disappointed and called the punishment ``excessive.''

Not that bad of a punishment...I thought it would have been more severe. I think NASCAR should start suspending cheaters, that is the only way they will stop.

Do you think these penalties are lenient?

[bigheadache]

I think they are about what you would expect. Basically the same as Waltrip and Dale Jr. got. Maybe a little harsher when you consider they weren't allowed to qualify for last weekend's race.

[John F]

Can someone explain to me what the Car of Tomorrow is? They kept referring to that. Is it a future model design test?

[GerryInCS]

CoT has been in development for several years. Following the death of Dale Earnhardt, NASCAR began an intensive campaign to build a safer car. It has taken five years, but they have achieved their goal. By all aco****s the CoT is as safe as you can get in a car that can travel upwards of 200 mph. There is very little debris when it crashes and it handles impacts much better than the older style cars. It has been such a success this year that NASCAR has upped the timetable on the car and it will be in full use starting in 2008 (as opposed to the limited use this season [16 races, IIRC])


Car of Tommorow