It’s getting old really fast. I don’t think NASCAR targets him, but it seems like he gets the worst of thier bad judgement. I won’t go into arguing why the Busch race last year was insane, but it was. So now, here he is, trying to start of 2008 the right way, and by an error no one even knew about he get’s a huge penalty.
The infraction itself is stupid, they had the wrong nose on the car, the difference in the nose of the Avenger and The Charger is just decal outlines (oooh that will really give them an edge). They took what Evernham sent them, how we’re they really supposed to know the difference? That team is just too small to have to worry about “are we sure this is an Avenger, not a Charger nose?” they are so similar no one could tell by looking.
Honest mistake, that didn’t give them any advantage. During inspection NASCAR saw it, and told them to change it. They did, without any issues, and when they raced, they had the approved Avenger nose on the front of that car.
Here’s the saddest part to me, Robby raced and finished 8th, that would have been such an awesome way to start the season right, to make a turn around for this struggling team. And then, bam, as quick as it came, NASCAR takes it all away. 100 points, gone, $100,000, gone. His crew chief for the next 6 races, gone, and on probation through the rest of 2008.
Now, I understand NASCAR wants to be consistent in thier penalties, yet, they haven’t been. They think by slapping a cookie-cutter penalty down on everyone, that it will make everything fair. No. It does not work that way, and the big wigs in the sport are coming off looknig like complete inept morons. Yes, I just called the sanctioning body of our sport a group of morons, but would anyone argue differently? Joe Shmo watching the race on Sunday will probably think of 500 things they could change to make the sport better, but they just don’t. They leave the screwed up rules as they are, and then decided to add dumber ones. Come on, this is all you are paid to do, so do it right!
Last season two Hendrick cars screwed with their cars to gain an edge, they got this penalty and had to start at the rear of the field come race day. Wow, must have REALLY hurt them and taught them! No. One of those cars still wound up with the big trophy in November. That kind of penalty means nothing to those big teams, but to guys like Robby Gordon it can cripple them for the whole season.
Take for example last year at New Hampshire. From what I recall, a few cars all had a height infraction in post-qualifying inspection. NASCAR acknowledged it as something that must have happened on track and against those teams control. Yet, penalized them by dissalowing thier times in qualifying. Sounds fair unless you consider the 83 team, who then had to pack up and go home because of it. That’s where NASCAR gets stupid. The end result needs to be the same, not the penalty you hand down. That rule needs to be “you start at the back now” not dissallowing times, because some guys just started at the back, while for some others that means packing up and heading home, which is exactly what happened to the 83 team.
NASCAR really does need to look at intent and what actually happened, they try to make it ll black and white when it really isn’t. Our legal system can do that, there is a hgue difference between murder and manslaughter, so why can’t NASCAR distinguish a difference when they hand down penalties?
Robby is going to appeal this penalty, as he should, and NASCAR better think before they make a decision for once. Jime Beam has sent people out with petitions at the track to reverse the penalty, and they have shirts for fans to wear that say “Rally For Robby”. I encourage anyone out there this weekend to rally for Robby with Jim Beam, stand up for the underdog. If it was Dale Jr, I know somehting would have already been done to change the situation.
-Katie
Two words to explain this: REPEAT OFFENDER
Robby needs to learn to play fair, or not play at all.
Matt, I’m thinking you don’t understand the situation. He didn’t cheat, so “playing fair” is a pretty pointless thing to say. He has been penalized in the past for bad behavior, cursing, throwing helmets etc. But playing fair isn’t something he goes against. He just stands up for himself. Granted he behaves poorly sometimes because of it.
And how is this a repeat offense. I don;t recall him having a wrong nose by accident before?
What I also feel about this situation is that ok, Robby’s been behind the 8 ball since the Dakar Rally cancellation which was a huge financial blow to his race team. Presumed innocent before guilty, let’s just assume for a moment that GEM did indeed accidently send Robby Gordon’s team a nose that was not yet approved by NASCAR but fit the templates…I don’t know, it sounds silly to say, ok, it fit the templates, but it wasn’t approved? That’s like saying, ok, you suck son, you got a 100 on this test, I wanted you to get a 100 on this test! I don’t think there’s any performance enhancement type thing here. NASCAR should reconsider the penalty.
That’s the risk you take when you switch to a new manfacturer late in the game, Robby made one false move and no surprise he paid and should pay the price for it.
I mean how is this any different than what Waltrip did last year? It’s just as bad and should be handled in the same way, and it has.
Robby knew it was an unapproved piece (not just decals), and shame on him if he didn’t. I’ve seen the two noses (the old and the new) and there is a major noticeable aero difference between the two. Robby should have realized that and made that known to GEM or Dodge before he sent the car went through tech. But no, he didn’t do that, did he?
So based on that, the penalty should be upheld, and Robby’s appeal denied.
Matt, as always I respect your opinion a ton. However, it’s extremely different from what Waltrip did last year, it was an obvious violation, and also clearly intentional. Robby’s wasn’t, and hearing both sides of the story is important. I know most people already hate Robby, and regardless of any facts, will jump on the “he deserves it” wagon. Just looking at what actually happened, that penalty was insane.