Fan's Eye View ~ Penske In Hot Water With NASCAR?
4/16/2013
Jim Fitzgerald
Keselowski and his team mate, Joey Logano, both had items from their respective racecars confiscated by NASCAR prior to the start of the NRA 500. Keselowski’s car cleared inspection just as driver introductions were being completed, and Logano’s car had to pass through the line three times before it was deemed legal, and was done so when the drivers were given the command to start their engines.
Both drivers recovered well, with Logano finishing in the fifth position and Keselowski taking home the ninth place finishing spot. It is unlikely, however, that both drivers will get to keep all of the points they scored on that night in Texas.
“It’s just something that’s not in the spirit of the rules,” said NASCAR Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton. Travis Geisler, the Director of Competition at Penske Racing, elaborated a bit.
“In pre-race inspection they felt like there was something that was a questionable item that they wanted replaced. We replaced all the parts in question. They have them all. We're working through the process here as it goes to get through inspection. Unfortunately a little tighter timeline here than we'd like to be on, but I certainly understand their position and don't disagree with where they are."
Brad Keselowski felt differently, it would seem.
"I have one good thing to say," Keselowski said. "That's my team and effort they put in today in fighting back with the absolute bull that's been the last seven days in this garage area. The things I've seen over the last seven days have me questioning everything that I believe in, and I'm not happy about it. I don't have anything positive to say and I probably should just leave it at that."
Keselowski should have taken his own advice, and left it alone, but he went public with more thoughts later on.
“I could tell you there's nobody, no team in this garage with the integrity of the 2 team. And the way we've been treated over the last seven days is absolutely shameful. I feel like we've been targeted over the last seven days more than I've ever seen a team targeted. But my guys kept their heads on straight and they showcased why they are a winning team and championship team. We're not going to take it. We're not going to be treated this way.”
It is likely that if NASCAR feels that the rear end materials that the Penske teams were using were illegal, both teams will be penalized, most likely some points, probably some cash, and maybe some suspensions, depending on the degree. The question is, because of the infancy of the Generation Six racecar, and precedence of the offense with the new car, what will the penalty be? What could be Keselowski, never one to temper his speech or emotion, may be facing steeper penalties than Logano based on his lash out at the sanctioning body.
No matter how I address this topic, I am sure to get mail from those who will disagree, probably call me a name or two, and then insult my heritage. Yes, it happens. Freedom of Speech, and all…
From my point of view, there is “innovation” and there is “cheating”.
I will tell you right now that the results based on my definitions will differ from NASCAR’s results.
Innovation in Racing: To create something new that you want to use, present it to the sanctioning body, wait for approval, get that approval, strap it on the car and use it.
Cheating in Racing: To create something new that you want to use, strap it on the car and use it.
It is not really too difficult to understand. If your part is approved, feel free to use it. If your part is not approved, and I do not mean only an illegal part, but an unapproved part (there is a difference), and you put it on your car. That, my friends, is cheating.
You may as well know, my three favorite drivers are Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, and Brad Keselowski. Yes, I know…pretty diverse. Now knowing this I ask you, remember those oil pans that Joe Gibbs Racing tried to use last year that were confiscated by NASCAR? NASCAR called them, not illegal, but unapproved. There were no penalties handed out. Even as a Kyle Busch fan, I disagree with that call. The part was unapproved, which mean it was not approved, and therefore, as I see it, an illegal part.
Keselowski and Logano, unfairly targeted or not, had something on the car that NASCAR did not feel was appropriate. A car is either within the rules, or it is not. Martin Truex, Jr. and his team may also be penalized because their car was too low in post-race inspection. They believe a shock remains compressed instead of expanding. This is not an unapproved part, but it still makes the car illegal. Unfortunately, that will happen when a car has thousands of parts on it. Sometimes they fail.
Using an unapproved part is
just as much of a foul, IN MY EYES, as using an illegal one. NASCAR has a
research and development center. Submit the part. They may like it, they may
not, but at least you’ll know where it stands.
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