CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Robby Gordon was docked 100 points and
his crew chief was suspended for six races and fined $100,000 as
NASCAR penalized 10 teams in its three different national series
for infractions found at Daytona International Speedway.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. was one of seven drivers penalized for
Nationwide Series infractions, and six crew chiefs were suspended.
Todd Bodine, winner of the Truck Series race, and two crew chiefs
were penalized.
The harshest penalty went to Gordon, who had an unapproved front
bumper cover on his No. 7 Dodge during opening day inspection for
the Daytona 500. The deduction of points drops him from ninth in
the standings to 40th.
Frank Kerr, the crew chief, was fined $100,000 and is not
eligible to return to the track until the April 12 race in Phoenix.
Kerr was also placed on probation through the end of the year.
In the Nationwide Series, Earnhardt's car was found to have an
illegal spoiler during an inspection. He was docked 50 points,
owner Rick Hendrick was docked 50 points and crew chief Chad Walter
was fined $25,000 and suspended for the next six races. Walter is
also on probation through the end of the year.
Drivers Kertus Davis, Johnny Sauter, David Gilliland, David
Stremme and Cale Gale were all docked 25 points and their owners
docked 25 points for various infractions discovered after
qualifying.
The crew chiefs -- Gene Allnutt (Davis), Newt Moore (Sauter), Bob
Edwards (Gilliland), Steve Darne (Stremme) and Charlie Wilson
(Gale), were all fined $15,000 and suspended for the next six
Nationwide races. They were all placed on probation until the end
of the year.
In addition, Jerry Baxter, the crew chief for David Reutimann,
was fined $5,000 and placed on probation until July 9 for an
infraction discovered on opening day inspection.
In the Truck Series, Bodine was fined 25 points and car owner
Stephen Germain was fined 25 points for an infraction found before
qualifying. Mike Hillman Jr., the crew chief, was fined $10,000 and
suspended for the next four Truck Series events. He was also placed
on probation until the end of the year.
Rick Renn, the crew chief for Ron Hornaday Jr., was fined $5,000
for a violation found in opening day inspection.