JR Motorsports to appeal suspension of crew chief

By SceneDaily Staff Report
Saturday, February 23, 2008

FONTANA, Calif.Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Friday his Nationwide Series team won’t appeal the points or money penalty handed down by NASCAR for an infraction discovered at Daytona International Speedway.

But JR Motorsports will appeal the six-week suspension of Chad Walter, crew chief of the team’s No. 5 Chevrolet. The team was docked 50 points and fined $25,000 for an illegal decklid found before qualifying.

“The suspension is the toughest part for us, financially,” Earnhardt Jr. said at Auto Club Speedway. “To have to bring in a guy of crew chief caliber for a short period of time is pretty expensive. We’re going to see if we can get that part of it, at least, worked on a little bit.

“I feel like the penalty itself is fair. The points and all that is hard to swallow, but it’s fair. It is what it is. We got caught cheating, and that’s punishment we deserve.”

But Earnhardt Jr. doesn’t want to lose his crew chief, so he will appeal.

“It’s likely not to make any difference, but that’s what the appeal process is for,” Earnhardt Jr. said.

Earnhardt Jr. joked that JR Motorsports co-owner Rick Hendrick is “real good” at appeals.

“Maybe if he goes with me, I might could get it turned around,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “He’s got some kind of magic every time he goes down there. Maybe I’ll send him or he’ll go in my spot.”

Walter remains as the crew chief of the No. 5 this weekend, and Earnhardt Jr. is curious to see how he reacts to the controversy.

“The key here is how Chad responds,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “He has to show his ability to lead. His response and his actions will prove if he’s capable of doing that. I want to help him a little bit, console him a little bit. I knew he was just trying to give me the best car he could give me for the race. We’re all out there taking chances on areas like that, like the
spoiler.

“It’s unfortunate. We were the ones that got caught. We’ll deal with the penalty because it’s fair. Chad’s actions are what matters right now for that team, how he responds and whether those guys will respect him after he handles his business. That could be a stain in his career or he could turn it into a positive in terms of how his attitude is.”

Mentioned Drivers: Dale Earnhardt Jr.

No Comments

Be the first to comment on "JR Motorsports to appeal suspension of crew chief". Login or sign up for a free account to post your comment

Post a Comment

Disclaimer: All comments are subject to filtering for language, and libelous content. We reserve the right to remove any comments deemed inappropriate.

Comment Preview

Jul 5, 2009 at 1:55 PM
You said:

You must login before you can post comments or rate content.

If you don't have a login you can create a free account.

NASCAR Schedules

tnt

LifeLock.com 400

Chicagoland Speedway
08:16 PM, 07/11/2009

Poll PositionView All

The race at which of these remaining tracks will have the largest impact on who makes the field for the Chase For The Sprint Cup?

Promotions

  • Play "WIX Filters' Pick 3" stock car fantasy and win prizes. Season 2 is now in session!

  • Tweet your thoughts about each race and join the conversation with other fans.

  • Drive an authentic NASCAR Sprint Cup car at the Jeff Gordon Racing School.

  • Play our simulation racing fantasy game. Free with promo code "FREECRD".

NASCAR Community Join the Community

In the Forums View All

Presented by

Don't have an account yet?

Insiders Guide to NASCAR

Register with SceneDaily.com and get access to the following features:

  • FREE Insider’s Guide to NASCAR (available as a PDF download)
  • Daily NASCAR news updates delivered directly to your e-mail
  • Pre-race and Post-race emails delivered each race week
  • Ability to comment on blog and news articles
  • Information on new website features and upcoming contests
Create my Account

Login

Forgot Password?
Login or Create an Account