Four Toyota teams have been fined and stripped of points after NASCAR officials confiscated unapproved parts before last weekend's Samsung Mobile 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. The penalties went against the teams featuring drivers Max Papis, Marcos Ambrose, David Reutimann and Martin Truex Jr.
The Camrys of Papis and Ambrose were found with unapproved lower radiator pans during post-qualifying inspection. Series director John Darby considered the pans to be “unapproved ballast weight mounting.” Frank Kerr, crew chief for Ambrose said he'd been using the same pans all season. “We asked when we put it on the car at California if it was OK, and they said it was 'on the edge, but OK, ' ” he said. “There hasn't been any question about the piece until now.”
The long, steel pieces also were installed in an unapproved mounting location. Cal Wells, vice president of Michael Waltrip Racing, which built the cars in question, said there was confusion about what should and should not have been submitted for approval. “There was no intent to do anything [around the rules],” he said.
No matter the intent, the penalties were issued because the radiator pieces were unapproved and provided extra front-end ballast. Crew chiefs Bootie Barker (for Papis) and Kerr (for Ambrose) were each fined $75,000 and placed on probation through Dec. 31. Car owners Robert Germain (No. 13) and Tad Geschickter (No. 47) each lost 50 owner points, and Papis and Ambrose each lost 50 driver points. Rodney Childers, crew chief for Reutimann, and Pat Tryson, crew chief for Truex Jr., were each fined $25,000 and placed on probation until Dec. 31. Neither Reutimann nor Truex Jr. was fined or lost points.
Wells said MWR won't appeal because there's no debating the radiator pans weren't submitted for approval. He said the only issue is whether the pans should have been submitted. “This gives us a clear line of sight on how parts need to be submitted for approval,” he said. “We will work diligently with NASCAR in the future on all new parts to ensure this does not happen to MWR again.”
Geschickter feels the punishments are excessive, but won't appeal. “We understand NASCAR has to police the sport and rule to keep a level playing field,” he said. “We are focusing our energy on turning our season around and winning races with Marcos.”
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