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Gordon wins appeal, regains points and crew chief

By Rea White - Associate Editor

Thursday, March 06, 2008

Article Rating: 4.8
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Chuck Yadmark / NASCAR Scene

Robby Gordon in Vegas. (Chuck Yadmark)

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Robby Gordon won back his lost NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points today when the National Stock Car Racing Commission overturned portions of his recent penalty. Gordon regained the driver points he’d lost and his crew chief’s suspension was lifted.

Gordon and his Robby Gordon Motorsports team moved from 37th to 21st in the standings after the points were restored. The fine assessed crew chief Frank Kerr was raised from $100,000 to $150,000.

"We see this as good news," Gordon said in a statement. "We are grateful the commissioners rescinded the points penalty and suspension but [are] disappointed by the fine. Still, we see this as a victory for Robby Gordon Motorsports. We feel like justice was done and appreciate NASCAR creating a system that allowed us to take our appeal to the National Stock Car Racing Commission. Now we plan to put this issue behind us and concentrate on making the Chase in 2008 as well as getting the Jim Beam Dodge into victory lane.

"I want to thank the thousands of fans and our sponsors who have supported us through this episode and want everyone of you to know how much we appreciate all that you have done. Our goal is to be a model team in the future and never go through something like this again.“

Gordon was penalized 100 driver and owner points and Robby Gordon Motorsports’  crew chief Frank Kerr was fined $100,000 and suspended for six weeks following the discovery of an unapproved front bumper on the car at Daytona International Speedway. Gordon has been vocal about the penalty since it was assessed, pointing out that the part was supplied to him from the manufacturer and that the error was not the fault of he or his team. The bumper used is one that Dodge is attempting to have approved.

Gordon also questioned the severity of the penalty, though it fell in line with other penalties assessed for infractions on the model formerly known as the car of tomorrow.

In the hearing, the Commission considered several factors, according to a news release. Gordon’s team did not contest whether or not the part was legal.

“The Commission notes and reaffirms the following fundamental principal which is vital to maintaining the integrity of the sport: Regardless of the source of an unapproved part on a race car, the race team that officially enters the car in a NASCAR race is ultimately accountable for that racecar’s conformance, or non-conformance, to the rules,” the statement read. “However, the Commission believes that the facts presented during the hearing represented an extraordinary and unusual set of circumstances.”

The Commission reinstated the car owner and driver points, lifted the suspension and increased the fine to $150,000. Kerr also remains on probation through Dec. 31. The members of the Commission participating in the hearing were Doug Fritz,  Bud Moore and Chairman George Silbermann.

Gordon gained fan support following the infraction, with sponsor Jim Beam creating an online petition and writing a letter to NASCAR. In a SceneDaily poll, 72 percent of the respondents voted that the penalty was unwarranted since Gordon did not intentionally violate the rules. NASCAR officials have stated that they do not rule on intent.

Average Rating: 4.8

Comments

14 responses to "Gordon wins appeal, regains points and crew chief"
  1. 1
    kenny mckinney said:
    Mar 5, 2008 at 5:38 PM

    why wasn't this made note of prior to the cup series racing there? nascar has to approve all tracks that they race at correct? now all of a sudden someone hits that gap and it's like it was put there over night. no ones fault but nascar's for giving the ok to hold the race...

    Report as Abuse
  2. 2
    Bill Bielanski said:
    Mar 5, 2008 at 7:44 PM

    Just glad for Robby and his team and sponsors. I'm surprised though that they at least won something from the appeal. Usually it's a done deal.

    Report as Abuse
  3. 3
    bob compton said:
    Mar 5, 2008 at 7:49 PM

    A good day for Robby and all his fans. It was also a good day for all NASCAR fans as Robby's appeal success shows there is fairness within the system. This of course is also true of the recent Nationwide appeals that were successful. Thanks National Stock Car Racing Commission for your excellent work.

    Report as Abuse
  4. 4
    Becki Mollareza said:
    Mar 6, 2008 at 1:50 AM

    I am disappointed NASCAR calls it a "rescind of the penalties" when they raise the fine to $150,000 and kept the probabtion for the crew chief. As happy as I am for Robby too be where he's "supposed" to be in points, I am still ripped that they still make it seem like RGM did something wrong. I mean, according to NASCAR's own books, RGM used the correct part minus the dash!

    Report as Abuse
  5. 5
    said:
    Mar 6, 2008 at 3:19 PM

    If NASCAR with there impartial wisdom found them inicent, how did they justify Frankie's fine being increased and his probation continued? Doesn't it show what kind of wishy-washy outfit NASCAR is?

    Report as Abuse
  6. 6
    john LePage said:
    Mar 6, 2008 at 4:32 PM

    Someone is going to be made the 'example'. NASCAR will not 'go gently into that goodnight'.

    Report as Abuse
  7. 7
    rae said:
    Mar 8, 2008 at 1:39 AM

    Thank goodness! Robby Gordon finally got a break! I was beginning to think he was going to spend the rest of his racing career under the "Big Black Cloud of Bad Luck". You go, Robby!!

    Report as Abuse
  8. 8
    kenny mckinney said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 7:15 PM

    why wasn't this made note of prior to the cup series racing there? nascar has to approve all tracks that they race at correct? now all of a sudden someone hits that gap and it's like it was put there over night. no ones fault but nascar's for giving the ok to hold the race...

    Report as Abuse
  9. 9
    Bill Bielanski said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 7:15 PM

    Just glad for Robby and his team and sponsors. I'm surprised though that they at least won something from the appeal. Usually it's a done deal.

    Report as Abuse
  10. 10
    bob compton said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 7:15 PM

    A good day for Robby and all his fans. It was also a good day for all NASCAR fans as Robby's appeal success shows there is fairness within the system. This of course is also true of the recent Nationwide appeals that were successful. Thanks National Stock Car Racing Commission for your excellent work.

    Report as Abuse
  11. 11
    Becki Mollareza said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 7:15 PM

    I am disappointed NASCAR calls it a "rescind of the penalties" when they raise the fine to $150,000 and kept the probabtion for the crew chief. As happy as I am for Robby too be where he's "supposed" to be in points, I am still ripped that they still make it seem like RGM did something wrong. I mean, according to NASCAR's own books, RGM used the correct part minus the dash!

    Report as Abuse
  12. 12
    said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 7:15 PM

    If NASCAR with there impartial wisdom found them inicent, how did they justify Frankie's fine being increased and his probation continued? Doesn't it show what kind of wishy-washy outfit NASCAR is?

    Report as Abuse
  13. 13
    john LePage said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 7:15 PM

    Someone is going to be made the 'example'. NASCAR will not 'go gently into that goodnight'.

    Report as Abuse
  14. 14
    rae said:
    Mar 17, 2008 at 7:15 PM

    Thank goodness! Robby Gordon finally got a break! I was beginning to think he was going to spend the rest of his racing career under the "Big Black Cloud of Bad Luck". You go, Robby!!

    Report as Abuse

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