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  • News analysis: Hendrick penalties

    News analysis: Hendrick penalties

    None of you asked for it, but I’ll break down the news, its significance and un-answered questions of Hendrick Motorsports’ penalty.

    The news

    NASCAR handed HMS an L2-level penalty, Wednesday, for unapproved modifications to the body of its cars, last weekend, at Phoenix Raceway. Each car’s crew chief (Cliff Daniels, Rudy Fugle, Alan Gustafson and Blake Harris) was handed a four-race suspension and fined $100,000. Furthermore, NASCAR docked each team 100 owner/driver points and 10 playoff points. Excluding the No. 9 team, which Josh Berry (who earns points in the XFINITY Series) drove in place of the injured Chase Elliott.

    These penalties drop Alex Bowman from the points lead to 23rd, William Byron to 29th and Kyle Larson to 32nd. Aside from Byron, this reset Larson to zero playoff points. Byron, however, resets to three.

    HMS announced it plans to appeal the penalties, but won’t request deferrals of suspensions. So four substitute crew chiefs will sit on the war wagons, this weekend, at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

    Its significance

    On a scale of 1-10, this is a five.

    For most teams, this is a 10. With Hendrick, however, I doubt this holds them down. Considering that after NASCAR confiscated the parts, it still dominated Sunday’s race at Phoenix.

    SPOILER WARNING FOR SEASON 6 OF “MY HERO ACADEMIA”

    For NASCAR’s all-time winningest team, this isn’t Izuku Midoriya fighting Muscular during his forest lodge trip training. Rather, I suspect this will be Deku jobbing Muscular.

    I’ll go a step further and predict that by the halfway point of the season, Bowman, Byron and Larson make up the points they lost with this penalty.

    Un-answered questions

    I can’t really think of anything Wednesday’s penalty announcement left un-answered. This was pretty cut-n-dry and NASCAR confiscated the parts, before it let the Hendrick cars race, Sunday.

    That’s all, for now.

  • The Top Five things I’ve learned about NASCAR Penalties

    Fans are always complaining about penalties. They see no consistency in the rulings and are tired of the secrecy.

    However, after much study and thought, I think I’ve finally figured it out. To understand the system, you simply have to understand the masterminds behind NASCAR.

    1) It’s okay for drivers to curse on their in-car radio. Fans are encouraged to listen by renting scanners so that they can tune in to their favorite driver.

    But don’t let that driver make the mistake of using colorful language on national television during a post race interview. Even NASCAR’s favorite son, Dale Earnhardt Jr. couldn’t get away with that one.

    NASCAR is a family sport and families don’t use four letter words.

    2) If drivers are really angry, the best place to express it is in the NASCAR hauler. What happens in the hauler stays in the hauler. If the public doesn’t see it, it didn’t happen, including all those secret fines we’re not supposed to know about.

    3) Drivers are encouraged to be themselves but don’t knock NASCAR in the process or you might get hit with one of those secret fines. NASCAR is very touchy about protecting its “brand.” Just ask Denny Hamlin and Ryan Newman.

    4) A little bump between drivers on the cool down lap is allowed. You can get in a retaliatory “Don’t think I’ve forgotten what you did” tap, disguised as a congratulatory tap, as long as you don’t bring it onto pit road.

    5) In the spirit of “have at it boys,” it is permissible for drivers to throw helmets and exchange a few blows. Just don’t announce what you’re going to do beforehand by removing your watch. Passion is good, premeditation is frowned upon.

    It really boils down to one thing. NASCAR is not to be confused with a democracy. They wrote the rule book and when all else fails, they have one rule that covers everything.

    Section 12-1 Actions detrimental to stock car racing. Cross this line and they will issue the appropriate penalty.

    What constitutes actions detrimental to stock car racing? That’s for them to know and you to find out.