I wish that NASCAR would suspend the $200,000 fine and keep the points penalty. I think that would be a fair compromise. I really don't think that Long was trying to pull anything over on NASCAR.
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I wish that NASCAR would suspend the $200,000 fine and keep the points penalty. I think that would be a fair compromise. I really don't think that Long was trying to pull anything over on NASCAR.
Well lets quit operating here on emotion and stop and think about what they are actually doing, not what we think they are doing.
First off, the rule says 358 CI. Not more, not one smidge more. You let a guy by with a 358.1 CI engine and I guarntee you absolutly every engine man in the garage has 358.1 CI engines within a week in every car on the grid. The rule is absolute and you are told by NASCAR NEVER EVER EVER Show up with a car that wont pass inspection on all the rules. They didn't check the engine size until after they pulled the motor for inspection after he blew it. He doesn't blow, no one is the wiser, so this wasn't a case of NASCAR looking for a pelt to add to their collection; what they did was routine.
Second, whether it is Carl Long or Rick Hendrick, every team was told when the COT was made the car of today, that any messing with the package would be treated differently than in the past. When the COT design was put forward, NASCAR decided they were going to crack the whip on the rules. No grey areas, no cheating tolerated. Look at the fines and punishments over the last two years. Crew Chiefs being sent home for 6 weeks. BIG guys like Knaus and Osborne. You think Hendricks and Roush liked the fines they had to pay and liked putting other chiefs on the box? After each round of fines and suspensions they basically told everyone that every time this keeps going, the fines and suspensions were going to go up. THEY HAVE. After the acid dipped Red Bulls last year, NASCAR read everyone the riot act and basically it was also put out there that god forbid anyone messed with the motor rules or there really would be hell to pay.
Carl Long got burned. They nailed him to the cross because the rest of the garage, the Rick Hendricks and Jack Roush's had to be shown a precedent. If they go easy on Carl, then Hendricks or Roush could argue quite forcefully justice wasn't blind; and they would be punished more harshly based on who they were. Now Carl isn't being punished for who he is, he is punished for having an oversize engine. PERIOD.
Now before anyone thinks I hate poor ole Carl, there is an obvious point all you forget. He can appeal, and the stockcar commision is independent of NASCAR; and when you consider someone like Buddy Baker is one of the commissioners on there, you have to know Carl will get a fair shake and likely the penalties will be adjusted in such a way that he will eventually be back in business. He likely should sue the engine supplier but from what I heard on his interview on Sirius, he wont because the guy was helping him out.
Carl will not have to pay that fine, but the penalty will likely be no more racing for the rest of the year. Considering Carl wasn't making shows anyhow, it may not be a horrible ending. Furthermore, that precedent would still scare the heck out of the big teams. No one would cheat if they lost a car or driver for the year. With the way NASCAR has been with suspensions and penalties the last two years, would you want to submit a cheater car? REALLY?
Carl Long was unfortunately the poor guy who was made an example of, but that example has to be made.
With the economy sucking, I doubt anyone in NASCAR wants Carl Long out of the business, but they wont let ANYONE cheat. NO WAY....NO HOW.
He wasn't but as I said above, this isnt about Carl, this is about precedent. The Appeal process will deterimine what the real penalty is, but NASCAR sets the rules and punishment one size fits all now. It isn't the good ole days when Inman can give Richard that king sized motor and still keep a win.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lee Roy
I was there.....It was crazy seeing it from the other side of the track (My seats were at the top of the turn 1 grand stand). His wreck was right in the only blind spot I had on the track. Usually when cars went through there I couldn't see anything. All of a sudden I see a car, and I knew he HAD to be in the air because I could see him.....Quote:
Originally Posted by Wade91
As for the penalty thats absolutely ridiculous
Sonoma 2007 ring a bell when the 24 and 48 showed up with illegal cars that even Nascar took them, NOW if Nascar had any balls that week, they would've told the 2 teams to pack up and leave the raceway. I remember Tony stewart was in a similar situation I believe at Texas in 2004, when Nascar took the car from it being illegal.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark in Oshawa
now, did these guys get forced to sit, hell no. They made the show in the backups while teams that brought legal cars were sent home because of the top 35 rules.
Now in my own opinion, any team that is found to have failed pre-race inspection, now matter how serious it is, they should be walk out of the Speedway (if they fail to fix the problem before they go back into inspection), and if its after post-race, all money and points are stripped. nothing else needs to be done, cause if they do it again, the same penalty happens
its the only way to restore dignity and to tell everyteam that cheating is not allowed nor tolerated.
Quote:
Originally Posted by harvick#1
Sonoma rings a bell. The penalty I think should have been to send Jeff and Jimmie packing personally BUT you have to remember two things: One, it was one of the first penalties with the COT. NASCAR basically told people that the penalties would escalate as time went on. Second, NASCAR came out last winter and reminded teams going into this season that they were going to step up efforts to keep the cars legal and that god forbid anyone mess with a motor. WE all know Carl didn't mean to have an oversize motor, but we also know intent should never be a defining factor on whether to punish or not.
It is in the appeals process Carl will really see what the justice will be.
Also, if NASCAR banned Carl Long for a year, would people notice? Not the same way Jimmie or Jeff would be missed, so I will buy into the hypocracy on THAT point, but you can bet Jimmie or Jeff wouldn't have the car they wanted nor the crew members they wanted. Also, you can bet it would cost Rick Hendrick plenty, not to mention the cost of building a car that would now be sitting in the NASCAR tech lab. Also, if this is a HMS or Joe Gibb's car with a big motor, you can put slim and none down as the chances of winning an appeal. Carl I would wager will have a damned good chance. Still doesn't change the fact NASCAR has to enforce the rules.
As I said, you let this go by, and every engine builder in that garage will be building engines a few thousands over the line tomorrow. It is the slippery slope. It is how cars with conventional bodies in the 80's ended up being the twisted sister cars of 3 years ago.....
Long loses appeal
http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news;...v=ap&type=lgns
For the life of me I have never understood how a sports sanctioning body has the right to fine anyone any money. I believe they should be able to garnish purse money or suspend competitiors from competing in their sport, but that's it. It sounds like they have a hidden agenda since they started fining people money.
Furthermore, (with the big teams) fines obviously don't have any effect. Straight suspensions and only suspensions for obvious cheating would solve the problem. See how much would go on if Jimmie Johnson got docked 5 races.
I agree, $$ fines are unfair. Hendrick 50k fine is a drop in the bucket. Smaller teams it can cause a layoff or two. Points and suspension from races is way to go. NASCAR should not be financially benefitting from a team's cheat or mistake.
Fines generally go into the points fund, not NASCAR's pocket.Quote:
Originally Posted by MilkaDunoFan