[Sirrotica]

NASCAR determined that with 7 laps to go Clint Bowyer spun intentionally to bring out a yellow in an attempt to get Martin Truex into the chase. The other 2 MWR cars sandbagged in order to get Joey Lagano into the Chase eliminating Jeff Gordons chances to make the Chase. Ryan Newman was leading the race with 7 to go and if he stayed in the lead it would have cinched him a berth in the Chase. Because of a poor pit stop he dropped back and finished 3rd losing his place in the Chase as he needed a win to get him a wild card spot with 2 wins.

NASCAR assessed all 3 MWR cars a 50 point reduction dropping Truex out of the Chase and allowing Ryan Newman a spot. They also have levied a fine of $300,000 and not yet clear if that's per team or for all 3 teams. If the fine is per team then it will be a $900,000 fine.

The director of racing at MWR is suspended indefinitely and the 3 crew chiefs are on probation til Dec.31 2013.

After the race Dale Jr. was interviewed and he was following the #15 car and said that he didn't have a clue what Bowyer was doing just before the spinout. Bowyer questioned if he did it intentionally was slow to answer the question and denied any intentional spinout. Evidently the radio communication just before the spin indicated otherwise.

Biggest penalty levied by NASCAR to this point in the sport.

[J.D.]

bravo nascar. that crap may fly in formula one racing but it is crap.

[fyrffytr1]

So, where does Gordon stand? In or out?

[arbys]

I'm glad that they did the right thing. That radio communication was questionable just like it was earlier this year with Chad Knaus with Jimmy Johnson.

[limejudge69]

Funny how they crack down now, but the 48 team was allowed to win championships after being caught cheating.

[INJUNTOM]

Originally Posted by limejudge69

Funny how they crack down now, but the 48 team was allowed to win championships after being caught cheating.

They do seem to be choosy who they give the smack down to. Kinda like when Dale Sr literally crashed Terry Labonte for a win towards the end of his days and I can remember that it was so obvious that you couldn't hear the announcers due to all the boos from the crowd. Sad part was Terry was spun out a few times and kept coming back to the front before he got the chrome horn on the last lap....but then again I saw him purposely wreck his own kid for an IROC win. Then there's the times they penalize someone for a minor bump that doesn't change the race outcome.

If NSCAR likes somebody or if they think it's good for NASCAR, they'll let anything slide.

Also, it doesn't seem that MWR is good at cheating now does it? They keep getting caught.

[The Boss]

Originally Posted by fyrffytr1

So, where does Gordon stand? In or out?

He should retire and become a team owner.

It would be a shame if he repeated Darrell's 10 year no-win stretch!

[arbys]

Originally Posted by INJUNTOM

They do seem to be choosy who they give the smack down to. Kinda like when Dale Sr literally crashed Terry Labonte for a win towards the end of his days and I can remember that it was so obvious that you couldn't hear the announcers due to all the boos from the crowd. Sad part was Terry was spun out a few times and kept coming back to the front before he got the chrome horn on the last lap....but then again I saw him purposely wreck his own kid for an IROC win. Then there's the times they penalize someone for a minor bump that doesn't change the race outcome.

If NSCAR likes somebody or if they think it's good for NASCAR, they'll let anything slide.

Also, it doesn't seem that MWR is good at cheating now does it? They keep getting caught.

I just hope that Michael Waltrip loses his announcing job. He sucks at that.

[carguy66cars]

They [NASCAR]also decided to ignore Carl jumping the re-start for the win and in a earlier race black flaged Johnson for doing the same thing? Might be time for somebody else to take control of the orginazation or lack there of?

Lyn.

[Sirrotica]

Gordon is still out due to Lagano's finish, being Lagano had nothing to do with the manipulation because he races for Penske, NASCAR has no grounds to penalize him. He was just a beneficiary of MWRs team orders.

[Sirrotica]

Originally Posted by carguy66cars

They [NASCAR]also decided to ignore Carl jumping the re-start for the win and in a earlier race black flaged Johnson for doing the same thing? Might be time for somebody else to take control of the orginazation or lack there of?

Lyn.

I really think Edwards should also have been penalized, at the line he was clearly one car length ahead of Menard. In short track racing that start would never have been let go. One warning, and if you jump the start again you go back one row.

Actually it wasn't the same thing, JJ jumped the start in the start box zone and was ordered to give the position back over the radio and ignored it. Then he was brought into the pits for a stop and go penalty. Carl was okay at the start box and Menard hit him in the side before the line causing his car to lose traction which let Carl get the jump. NASCAR feels if Menard hadn't hit Carl he would have been able to start ahead of Carl. In essence Menard caused the problem, not Carl. Also NASCAR did not order Edwards to give the spot back as they did JJ.

I'm not a fan of JJ or Edwards and think without that jump Edwards might have had a rougher time winning, however those instances were not close to the same circumstances as Johnson had no contact with the car starting next to him.

My opinion would have been to throw the green, so they didn't pile up a bunch of cars, followed immediately by the yellow and bring them back for another clean restart with a warning that if the jump again they'll both trade places with the 3rd and 4th place cars. It works well as a deterrent in short track racing no drivers want to lose 2 positions because they can't start side by side.

[Rob B]

Originally Posted by arbys

I just hope that Michael Waltrip loses his announcing job. He sucks at that.

I use to somewhat enjoy listening to him when he was still driving for someone else and when he sounded somewhat genuine but only after a short time his head swelled (and I can't figure out why because he sucked as a driver honestly) and it seemed like every chance the media had, they were interviewing him....then they put him in the booth, he starts his own team, and it just went spiralling downhill from there. Now he looks and sound like a babbling idiot everytime he's on TV.
We can only hope he loses his announcing job!!!
Darrel is still tolerable...barely.

[David Jones]

I've discovered that it ain't worth watching anymore.

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by J.D.

bravo nascar. that crap may fly in formula one racing but it is crap.

Just like F1, willing to bet any "Lifetime Ban" would be overturned in NASCAR...

...such as Flavio Briatore's winning appeal against lifetime ban for ordering Nelson Piquet to purposely crash http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2010/01/0...om-motorsport/

Was interesting to see the screen crawler with MWR "issues" documented at same time Mikey was co-hosting the Truck Series race this weekend.

Mikey was Unusually quiet.

[66bonne]

Originally Posted by David Jones

I've discovered that it ain't worth watching anymore.

Truth.

Jim

[Lightfoot]

"attempting to manipulate outcome of race"

Something NASCAR has been practicing on a regular basis since the 1990s.

[Lightfoot]

Originally Posted by INJUNTOM

They do seem to be choosy who they give the smack down to. Kinda like when Dale Sr literally crashed Terry Labonte for a win towards the end of his days and I can remember that it was so obvious that you couldn't hear the announcers due to all the boos from the crowd. Sad part was Terry was spun out a few times and kept coming back to the front before he got the chrome horn on the last lap.... Then there's the times they penalize someone for a minor bump that doesn't change the race outcome.

The one I'll never forget is Sonoma, 1991.

[zeebo]

Originally Posted by David Jones

I've discovered that it ain't worth watching anymore.

i second that. especially with the races being 'fixed" more than we know....

[The Champ]

Originally Posted by Sirrotica

Gordon is still out due to Lagano's finish, being Lagano had nothing to do with the manipulation because he races for Penske, NASCAR has no grounds to penalize him. He was just a beneficiary of MWRs team orders.

IMO - the "right thing" to do (I agree that Logano did nothing wrong - he just ran the race to the end) - is to put Gordon in the chase as a 3rd wild card (13 cars in the chase).

Gordon was just as much a "victim" of this BS as Newman. Gordon had the 10th spot in the chase locked up prior to MWR's shenanigans.

Either that - or pull Bowyer out and then Gordon is the 10th place car, Logano is 9th.

On a different but related topic - How does this affect MWR's relationships with their sponsors? Not many sponsors like being linked to blatant cheating. I personally could do without those constant NAPA know how commercials...

[ho428]

I agree Gordon should be in, but his crew chief really blew it with that 4 tire call with only 4 laps left. Yeah he probably would have gotten past by several cars but Gordon is notoriously bad on restarts and didn't have any spots to give up taking 4, track position, two tires and drive like hell would have been the better call.