Horrific news....

[Mobil1fan]

You guys shouldn't be comparing Carl's situation with Jeremy's big or small team Jeremy's penalty was fair and on par with other similar cases Carl's was not.   

Uhh....What?

[Just A Carl Fan]

I am just blown away with this crap, I have hated Nascar for a long time now but this has just been the stupidest penalty I have ever seen in any professional sport. I hope that the appeal works out.

[barneysmom]

Carl & DD

I am behind you all the way.  I have watched Carl run for many years, even back when he was running the mini stocks at Orange County Speedway.  I know he would NEVER cheat. 

Just what I've always said....NASCAR is the mafia of stock car racing

[rickmastfan67]

I'm behind you Carl and DeeDee 100%!  This is complete hogwash by NASCAR imo here.  Somebody needs to get them to take their heads out of their behinds.

[BRS]

I support Carl and the entire team through this!!

At first I was wondering what engine the alleged violation occured on, but that really doesnt matter to me anymore.

How can there be a points fine in a non-points event, they don't even use points to determine a rained-out lineup...    I can prolly guess that points don't matter to Carl's team this year anyway, but $200,000 dollars, Jeez...  Not getting paid much even to run the race was enough penalty along with NASCAR taking your engine...  I thought Benny Gordon's penalty was harsh and this one just crosses the line...    I doubt NASCAR tears down the #48 engine after every race, this is complete b.s.

[Mobil1fan]

Is it true that it was the engine that blew up in practice that was the one that was deemed illegal?

[Tom]

Is it true that it was the engine that blew up in practice that was the one that was deemed illegal?

Yes, NASCAR broke down the engine after it blew for inspection.

[Mobil1fan]

Hmm...

[Mattswad]

DD & Carl, I truly HATE to hear this news. I obviously echo everyone else's sentiments that this was utter rubbish.

Even though we don't really "know" each other, I would place my HOUSE on the line that you, nor Carl is a cheater. I am *THAT* confident in your ethics and practices!!! (BTW---the extra payments and needed improvements are even EXCLUDED from that wager!!! LOL  )

I do not know anything about the crew chief for this past weekend, its actually the first time I can recall hearing his name mentioned. But I hope that NASCAR will give him some lenience considering that this is a small time operation by comparison.

The combined parts in question are indeed outside of the rules, but I wish NASCAR would take into consideration the situation.

A--Did the team (or any team member) INTENTIONALLY violate the rules for an added advantage over the competition?

B--Did the "added advantage" in question result in a performance gain? (looking at practice speeds, I would guess, "No"...no offense intended....but Carl was not at the "TOP" of the charts by any means)

C--Were Carl and/or DD made aware of any potential rules infraction beforehand and knowingly go along with it? (obviously, I say, "NO!")

D--Has Carl had a history of cheating in the past? I seem to recall a similar incident in Daytona a few years back where certain parts were confiscated from Carl's car pre-qualifying. Those weren't "performance enhancing" parts, but instead parts that were (and I'm totally guessing off memory here) old parts, parts that didn't meet specifications or parts that came with the car when he bought it.

E--How on Earth will Carl, DD or their Crew Chief be able to cough up $200,000?!?!?!?!?!

[BRS]

I've got a few more points I'd like to make.

If this would have happened to the #48 car for example, Chad Knaus would have been given the 3 month suspension and big fine and the #48 team would have lost 200 points, but the team would have been allowed to continue running with driver Johnson.  **The crew chief always take the blow for infractions because they are responsible for setting the car up.  With large teams the drivers aren't suspended because they are not working on the car.

I know this is a pretty bad situation, and we shouldn't blame anyone on Carl's team for this happening, but the team needs to appeal to save as many people and rescind as many penalties as possible.  The crew chief is in pretty big trouble.  I know Carl has influence on the crew chief, but under prior cases in the sport, the crew chief takes the fall for the infraction, so WHY IS CARL, AS THE DRIVER, BEING SUSPENDED??  The driver and crew chief are separate entities, that's the reason NASCAR makes you list a crew chief in the first place.

Suspending the crew chief is expected and even the team could be looked at, but the driver??  If you suspend the team, fine, but you cannot connect the driver and team owner unless they are the same person.  In this case, they are not the same person.  For GOD's sake, how is this man supposed to pay his bills and eat for the next 3 months after his crew chief's fine?  Carl and his family have invested their lives to this sport and NASCAR wants to take that away.  It's not right.  Carl can't even work in the sport for any other team.

Okay, look at these penalties this way:  If the #46 team's exact penalties were applied to the #48 team (for example) in the same manner then this is what would happen:
1.  Knaus gone 3 months, minus $200,000
2.  Johnson and owner Jeff Gordon lose 200 driver and owner points respectively
3.  Johnson, the driver, gone 12 races (3 months) - unpresedented
4.  The entire Hendrick Motorsports team (#5, #24, #48, and #88 teams) suspended for 12 races - unpresedented

Looking at it from this prior standpoint really shows how out of whack Carl's penalties are...

What do y'all think?

[Mattswad]

I'm thinking that they gave Carl & DD the penalties/exclusion/probation knowing that they couldn't pay the fines NASCAR would have implemented on a normal team for such an infraction. (possibly in the millions for a cubic-inch engine violation?)

So they handed out the massive penalties/exclusion/probation to make up for the monetary fine they would have imposed on a big team had they been in violation.

Still....it sucks.

[dbenn62]

When I read the story last night, I was dumbfounded. I just couldn't wrap my head around the penalties. I thought I'd wait until the morning to get a clear head.  It didn't help.

Rule infractions occur to every team.  Mostly it is just a miss interpretation of the rules, NASCAR slaps them on the hand, everyone goes about their business. But this is CRAZY!!! A 200k fine? 12 race team suspension? 200 points!!!!

I cannot stomach NASCAR anymore. If these penalties are allowed to stand, I'm done. The whole series just seems like a made for Hollywood event.  I can't remember the last time I watched a race and actually enjoyed it.

 

[Chuck14]

I wouldn't think the points or the suspention are the problem since Carl doesn't race for points and only runs a handfull of races a year,but the fine is rediculus.

[Chuck14]

By the way where did this engine come from? Was it purchased or leased from a mega team? Why did nascar tear it down? Was Carl ratted out ? I'm just confused.I could see it if Carl had been bad fast at the showdown.

[pmarth]

How do we make our feelings known to NASCAR?  Is there an email address or even a mailing address?  This is the most craziest fine I've heard of and I've been following the sport since the 60s!!!