Takeout Anyone??

The NASCAR Appeals Panel met to discuss the RCR / 33 car technical infringement following the New Hampshire Cup race... 

Picture this...

Childress and his team present their case to the NASCAR panel and retire to a different room so the case may be discussed and the outcome decided...

(From NASCAR.com)

"During the lengthy delay, he (Richard Childress) posted a sign on the window of a conference room asking reporters outside to "bring pizza." He later tapped on the window to point out he had updated the sign with "and Budweiser."

How great is that!! In an age when motorsport is far too corporate, far too reserved, far too polite, Richard Childress sits at a NASCAR hearing ordering pizza... and beer!!

The conspiracy theorists will have a field day with the result of the hearing... Did the recovery truck damage the rear of the 33 car while pushing it into Victory Lane? Was the body / frame relationship outside of what NASCAR allows? How can the car be legal at the track and then illegal later? Should Bowyer keep his win? Who was on the grassy knoll, do aliens really exist, and is Elvis really dead?

In simple terms it sounds like the 33 cars bodywork fitted the NASCAR "claw" template after the race, but upon more detailed inspection the body versus frame mounting tolerances had been exceeded. If the truck had damaged the race car that easily, and made it illegal that easily, then surely all race cars that get bump drafted or hit from behind would be illegal when they finish the race?!?

It's not over yet as RCR have said they will appeal the penalties to the next level of NASCAR officialdom.

Mr Childress, this Buds for you!!

The difference between winning and...

One miles worth of gas...
Sixty thousands of an inch...

Not an awful lot...

NASCAR is a game of tight, tight tolerances. From fans tolerance for dull races, to drivers tolerances for each other, to Tech Inspection tolerances... 
 
Ever since NASCAR was formed teams have been pushing the envelope, taking a chance, seeing what they can get away with, and through the years NASCAR's "envelope" has turned into a "postage stamp".

When the "COT" was introduced teams were warned that they mess with the bodies of NASCARs newest race car at their peril. The "COT" was designed to stop teams manipulating the bodywork for aerodynamic gain.
 
Following a race NASCAR can take any car they want back to the R&D Centre for further tests to ensure the cars stay within the postage stamp. The Richard Childress Racing 33 car raced by Clint Bowyer at New Hampshire was found to be 60 very-small-somethings-of-an-inch outside of that postage stamp.

NASCAR had warned RCR the previous week that their cars were close to the acceptable tolerances and in NASCARs eyes the team did nothing about it. NASCAR picked up the rule book and promptly threw it at the 33's driver, crew chief, car chief, and the car owner, issuing fines, docking points, and suspending the aforementioned chiefs.

RCRs argument, the body could have moved when a driver made contact with the 33 car after the flag, or when the car was pushed into Victory Lane, having run out of gas. RCR have already said they will appeal the penalties that have dropped Bowyer from second to twelfth in points, and scuppered his chance at the Championship. If this is the case, what caused the car to be on the edge of tolerance the week before?

NASCAR have no tolerance for teams outside of the tolerances, and unlike the FIA, NASCAR know their own rules, and understand that to produce tolerable races, the teams must be kept within tolerances!

If you can't tolerate it, race somewhere else!