#5/#70 fail post race inspection!!!

[dont_be_jack]

Here's how they do it. Teams run the softest springs possible to lower the cars ride hight while moving. Over the course of the race, stress and fatigue lowers the spring rate, thus lowering the static ride height.

I don't think static point penalties are good for punishing post race violations. I would just use the F1 method and give them a 25 second time penalty.

I have a problem with that if it's something that the teams couldn't do anything about it, but if it's an obvious attempt at cheating then that'll do fine.

[call_me_andrew]

Well think about it this way. Lowering the ride height during the race was the team's goal. Getting caught wasn't.

[Mark in Oshawa]

I think they have to do something. Putting in springs that would settle may have been calculated, not a case of overt cheating, but cheating with plausable denial.

I think they wont be as harsh as the penalties to the 24 and 48 were, but they wont be light either. The Hendrick teams now have all been caught in something except the 25. Hendrick will have to be careful...

[RacingViews]

43 cars in the field, 41 managed to keep their cars above the minimum height at the end of the race and 2 didn't.

Of course getting the car lower helps, and if those two cars were at the same height as the others, maybe, just maybe they might have not finished where they did. The teams all know the minimum height, and are aware that it might be checked at the end of the race, so really there should be no question.

We are all led to believe how much technology/personnel/money these teams have, therefore they should be using those resources to make sure they do not fail tech on a simple point, or of course maybe they failed on purpose to try to avoid NASCAR checking something else, who knows....

[Sparky1329]

The #7 car was also pulled for inspection after the race and it passed.

[muggle not]

Expect something like a 25 point penalty, maybe, or maybe no points.

From Jayski

UPDATE 2: NASCAR has issued penalties and fines to the #5 and #70 teams that compete in the Nextel Cup Series, as a result of rule infractions found this past weekend at New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon, N.H. Both cars – the #5 Chevy driven by Kyle Busch and the #70 Chevy driven by Johnny Sauter – were found to be in violation of Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment used do not conform to NASCAR rules); and 20-12.8.1B, COT Technical Bulletin #3, dated 4/10/07 (failed to meet the minimum front car heights) of the 2007 NASCAR rule book. The violations were found during post-race inspection last Sunday. As a result, Kyle Busch and Sauter have each been penalized 25 driver championship points. Their respective crew chiefs – Alan Gustafson and Robert “Bootie” Barker – have each been fined $25,000 and placed on probation until Sept. 19. In addition, Rick Hendrick, owner of the #5, has been penalized 25 car owner championship points as has Joe Custer, the owner of the #70.(NASCAR PR)(7-4-2007
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[blakebeatty]

I suppose this must have been ruled a part malfuntion.

[R. Mears]

From Jayski

UPDATE 2: NASCAR has issued penalties and fines to the #5 and #70 teams that compete in the Nextel Cup Series, as a result of rule infractions found this past weekend at New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon, N.H. Both cars – the #5 Chevy driven by Kyle Busch and the #70 Chevy driven by Johnny Sauter – were found to be in violation of Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment used do not conform to NASCAR rules); and 20-12.8.1B, COT Technical Bulletin #3, dated 4/10/07 (failed to meet the minimum front car heights) of the 2007 NASCAR rule book. The violations were found during post-race inspection last Sunday. As a result, Kyle Busch and Sauter have each been penalized 25 driver championship points. Their respective crew chiefs – Alan Gustafson and Robert “Bootie” Barker – have each been fined $25,000 and placed on probation until Sept. 19. In addition, Rick Hendrick, owner of the #5, has been penalized 25 car owner championship points as has Joe Custer, the owner of the #70.(NASCAR PR)(7-4-2007
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This is a crock. Like Harvick said it should be 100 points 100k and 6 weeks. Also start at the back of the pack for the next race like the 24&48 had to. This was a race infraction not just a test run.

[Oli_M]

In my mind (I'm not an avid NASCAR fan, but like to try to keep up to date with all the results and everything throughout the year), the car was run illegally in this race, so firstly they should not score any points or prize money or anything from this race. I don't know exactly what their points haul etc would have been from this race but they should definatly loose that first up.

[Lee Roy]

Whhhaaaaaaaaaaaaa . . . . . sniff . . . . sniff