Gordon Fined

[BMWRacerITS]

http://www.speedvision.com/pub/artic...r/000912d.html

Seems pretty unfortunate to me. At least they didn't take the win away. Afterall, the part came straight from GM.

Wanna take bets on how many other cars were running the exact same part during the race?

[Heeltoe6]

"Afterall, the part came straight from GM."

I got some real estate I'd like to sell you in Florida

[BMWRacerITS]

Other than the fact that GM spokesmen say (as quoted in the article) that they have been giving the part to the GM teams for quite a while and the fact that inside sources (I worked as an intern within NASCAR this summer) tell me that this part was not a "team part" (as in, this was not a part that Hendrick developed), then what is there NOT to believe?

By the way, what's the reference to realestate in Florida? I could understand "beachfront property in Kansas", but realestate in Florida?

By the way, the best of what I have been able to find out, Earnhardt was running the same intake. Could you imagine if he had won the race and the No Bull $1 million only to have the money taken away because of this?

[Heeltoe6]

Assuming, it DID come straight from GM, my guess would be that this was one of the many trick parts given to those favored GM teams we hear so much about(case and point, more gm teams switching to Dodge than Fords teams). In any case, does that mean just cause GM made it that it's legal? No, and the teams have the responsibility to check that. As Matt McLuaghlin wrote: "But it would seem a lightweight metal intake manifold would call for different bolt torque to keep it from tracking than a cast aluminum piece. So either Loomis or someone in the engine department had to know that part was, if not illegal, at least unapproved." So even if it came straight from GM, that doesn't absolve the 24 of responsibility. Now, Earnahrdt may well have been running it as well, RCR is another one of those favored GM teams, but we don't know.



As for FL, was referring to all those modern day snake oil salesmen who made a habit of selling FL swampland to investors as a "win/win" situation back in the 70s

[bluefeather]

GM says this part has been in use and available to their TEAMS since April. It's passed every inspection INCLUDING the post race inspection.
I'm sure Earnhardt had the same manifold. Probably even Bobby Labonte. I stick to my theory that NASCAR had Gordon on their short list of rebels that needed to be dealt with. Dale E. didn't speak out about New Hampshire and nothing was said about his GM manifold. Either you fine and deduct points from every GM car that used this manifold since April, or find another part for retaliation. If Earnhardt had won, would he have kept the million dollars, and would RJR have paid the fan?

[Lee]

I'll say what I have posted at several other sites, I am glad that Gordon and team were fined, points deducted etc. Members of every NASCAR forum that I have read always complain that NASCAR is inconsistent with their enforcement of the rules. They complain that NASCAR will punish one driver and team severly for an infraction, them turn around and just "slap on the wrist" another driver/team for the same offense. I point to Jack Roush's team, Mark Martin, and Greg Biffle were both caught with manifolds that NASCAR deemed illegal. In both cases, the manifold in question had been used in several races prior to the incident, and in both cases, the manifold passed the pre-race before the race where, after the team had won the race, NASCAR failed the manifold in the post-race inspection. In both cases, points were deducted, fines were charged, the win was allowed to stand, and in both cases, it cost a championship. Now, Jeff Gordon's team is caught running an illegal manifold, after a post-race inspection of a race that he won. The manifold was said to have been run for several races prior to the incident, it passed a pre-race inspection, but was deemed illegal after the post-race inspection. The race win was allowed to stand, points were deducted, and fines were charged. Now, when NASCAR has finally shown some consistency in the enforcement of their rules, the same people that were complaining about inconsistency, are now complaining about a call that is consistent! People, you cannot have it both ways! I, for one, am happy that this has finally happened, I think everyone else should feel the same way.