Clint Bowyer's penalty following the race at New Hampshire Motor Speeedway has forced NASCAR to defend its research and development policies.
NASCAR now is defending its procedure but plain and simple NASCAR made the right call and the only call.
Fans are upset at the severity of the penalty. The infraction was 1/16 of an inch-or the thickness of a quarter.
NASCAR was once again in a lose/lose situation.
Bowyer and Richard Childress Racing were warned on just how close their tolerances were following the race at Richmond.
Following his win at NHMS, Bowyer’s car was inspected back at NASCAR R &D. NASCAR found the body was improperly placed on the chassis. NASCAR issued the 150 point penalty, 100,000 fines and suspensions for crew chief and car chief for six races.
RCR’s argument is that the tow truck that pushed Bowyer to victory lane after he ran out of fuel, caused the damage to the back of the car.
Joe Gibbs Racing driver, Denny Hamlin went back to Atlanta when the wrecker pushed his car to victory lane. He said that the tow truck damaged his car worse than Bowyer's at NHMS and it was still legal.
The thing is Bowyer could be right; that the tow truck caused the imbalance. There is always the possibility but NASCAR looks at all factors.
NASCAR draws a line and Bowyer’s car crossed that line.
What if NASCAR did not penalize Bowyer? What if because there is was a possibility that the tow truck did cause the damage, NASCAR decided that a lesser points, fine and suspension were warranted?
Which would go against the precendent NASCAR has done in the past.
Then fans would say NASCAR is inconsistent with past penalties. Fans would claim NASCAR wants to fix the results.
It's simple: NASCAR does not the teams modifying the body of the race cars. The penalty issued was what NASCAR had to do.
NASCAR’s penalty was not out of the norm. When you mess with the body of the car, intentional or not and you get caught, the penalty is stiff.
The last time a 150 point penalty was issued was in 2008, with Brian Vickers.
NASCAR was consistent with penalties given when the body of the car is outside NASCAR gray area.
RCR's intentions more than likely were not sinister nor do I think they were cheating but who’s to say the next team won’t be.
By not issuing a penalty NASCAR sets themselves up for future precedence.
The next organization could say what RCR claims. That it was contact on the track that caused the measurement to be off.
Then what does NASCAR do?
Now that line that you drew in the sand is now being pushed back.
Hamlin said it best on Friday, “There has to be a point where it's black and white, it's no longer gray. If they let them get away with this 60-thousandth of an inch, then where do you stop?”
Hamlin went on to say, "There has to be a point where you say, 'This is the tolerance, if you go past it, you're in trouble.' If they let him go, they're going to open up the whole field to let them do what they want."
NASCAR’s penalty was not out of the norm. When you mess with the body of the car, intentional or not and you get caught, the penalty is stiff.
It wasn’t what NASCAR wanted to do but what they had to do. If NASCAR wants to send the message zero tolerance when it comes to the body of the cars.
Now instead of promoting great racing and the Chase for the title, NASCAR once again looks like the bad guy.
When all they are trying to do is to keep the playing field balanced.
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