Whoops, Red Bull get's caught

[Lee Roy]

From Jayski:

Red Bull faces heavy fines for shaving weight UPDATE: NASCAR is expected to levy what could be record-breaking fines on the #83 Team Red Bull Toyota outfit on Wednesday. After Brian Vickers finished 11th at the Tums QuikPak 500 at Martinsville Speedway, the #83 Toyota was selected as the random car to be further inspected at the NASCAR Technical Center in Concord, N.C., where officials discovered the sheet metal on the #83 car did not meet the minimum thickness requirements. According to sources familiar with the situation, the sides of the car — the doors, fenders and quarter panels — were too thin. The NASCAR rulebook states in rule 20-2, 1D that teams must use a minimum of 24 gauge (0.025 inch thick) sheet steel for their car bodies. Also, the practice of "Acid dipping or chemical milling," which makes the sheet metal thinner, is strictly forbidden. One individual close to the situation said acid dipping would allow a fabricator to make the metal thinner. Once the steel is sanded and painted, it is nearly impossible for NASCAR to detect. Multiple sources said NASCAR returned the car to TRB after cutting off the sheet metal.(FoxSports)(10-22-2008)
UPDATE: NASCAR has issued penalties, suspensions and fines to the #83 team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, as a result of rules infractions found on Tuesday during a Martinsville post-race inspection at the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C. The car was 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 20-2.1-D (exterior sheet metal body parts did not meet the specified minimum thickness) of the 2008 NASCAR rule book. As a result, both the crew chief, Kevin Hamlin, and the car chief, Craig Smokstad, have been suspended indefinitely from NASCAR. Additionally, Hamlin has been fined $100,000. river Brian Vickers and owner Dietrich Mateschitz have been penalized with the loss of 150 driver and 150 owner points, respectively.(NASCAR PR)
RED BULL STATEMENT: Jay Frye, General Manager & VP, Red Bull Racing Team, on the #83's infractions: "As a team we accept full responsibility for the infractions regarding the #83's Martinsville car and will not appeal NASCAR's ruling. This approach to racing is against the values of the Red Bull Racing Team, and the necessary steps will be taken to rectify the situation ensuring it does not happen again. It is a privilege to race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and we are taking this penalty seriously. R&D Manager Randy Cox will assume the duties of interim Crew Chief on the #83 in Atlanta."(TRB PR)
POINTS: Vickers drops from 15th in drivers points to 15th and the #83 drops from 16th in Owners Points to 18th, see my Drivers/Owners Points page for updated standings.(10-22-2008)

[Mark in Oshawa]

Boy...I am glad they didn't try to say something stupid like they were sent the wrong sheet metal or something lame like that. They manned up and admitted they were pushing the envelope.

What I don't get is why they would bother? Checking metal gauge is pretty easy and lets face the reality that if NASCAR put in the specs back in the rules for the thickness of sheetmetal...then they would CHECK it. Duuuuh....

[RaceFanStan]

Many teams seem to think the NASCAR inspectors are stupid ...
they do things that they have to know are against the rules ...
yet they arrogantly do those things anyway ...
NASCAR needs to DISQUALIFY some violators if they want to enforce the rules.

[slorydn1]

Ouch, THATS gonna leave a mark. What were they THINKING? Hasn't NASCAR proven yet that they aren't playing anymore?? Stan's right, maybe some DQ's are in order!

[harvick#1]

the guys that got caught doing it got the good ole pink slip

http://www.thatsracin.com/topstories/story/20293.html

[harvick#1]

Many teams seem to think the NASCAR inspectors are stupid ...
they do things that they have to know are against the rules ...
yet they arrogantly do those things anyway ...
NASCAR needs to DISQUALIFY some violators if they want to enforce the rules.

they had there chance last year at Sonoma when the car was brand new, but failed desperately to pull the trigger to send a team home by blantently cheating, even if it meant losing lots of viewers who like the Hendrick boys

[RaceFanStan]

DISQUALIFYing a car when cheating is discovered :
BEFORE the race :
DISQUALIFY the car if it can't be made "legal" but
allow the driver to go to a back-up car & race (after starting 43rd)
(NOTE : the back-up car MUST pass inspection)
fines & points penaltys could still be imposed after the race
(crew chief and/or car could also face suspension, it would depend on how blatant the violation)
(The team owner should draw the fine, NO fine for the driver because he doesn't build the car)

AFTER the race :
DQ the car & driver's finishing position even if the driver won the race
place the driver & team in the 43rd finishing position with NO points
fines & additional points penaltys would also likely be imposed the after the race
(crew chief and/or car could also face suspension, it would depend on how blatant the violation)
(The team owner should draw the fine because he oversees the teams)
(NO fine for the driver because he doesn't build the car)

NASCAR needs to get serious about penalizing the cheaters
a simple mistake shouldn't get a serious penalty, oversight sometimes occurs,
however a blatant disregard for the rules should draw a severe penalty
it shouldn't matter who the driver is or what team is involved, cheating is cheating !

[Old3Fan]

You would think these cheatin nimrods would know that Ryan Pemberton, the greatest cheater of all time is the inspector. Its like a Private in the Army trying to get something by a Gunnery Sergeant. It can't be done.

[Lee Roy]

Why was the title of my thread changed? I thought I had just stated "Whoops, Red Bull got caught"?

[RaceFanStan]

Changed back to exactly what it was.