NASCAR penalties put Truex in precarious position for Chase
Martin Truex Jr. will need one of the sport's greatest comebacks to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup after NASCAR penalized him and his team 150 points for a violation last week at Daytona.
The penalty drops Truex to 238 points out of 12th place - the last transfer spot for the Chase - with eight races to go. No driver has come from as far back at this point in the season to qualify for the Chase since it began in 2004.
Only three drivers have been more than 120 points out of the final transfer spot at this point and rallied to make the Chase. Matt Kenseth had the biggest comeback, charging from 202 points back in 2005. Mark Martin was 138 points back in 2004 and Kurt Busch was 121 points out last year.
NASCAR issued one of its stiffest penalties yesterday after Truex's car did not pass initial inspection at Daytona last week. The roof did not conform to specifications.
NASCAR also docked Teresa Earnhardt 150 car owner points and suspended crew chief Kevin Manion and car chief Gary Putnam six races each. NASCAR also fined Manion $100,000.
"We are still trying to understand how the car fit our templates multiple times at the shop, but we respect NASCAR's determination that one of our cars did not exactly conform to their template at the track,"
said John Story, vice president of operations at Dale Earnhardt Inc., in a statement issued by the team.
"We have not decided if we will pursue our options to appeal. Under NASCAR's rules, we have 10 days to notify the sanctioning body of any appeal."
If the team appeals, the point penalty would not deducted and Manion and Putnam both would be able be with the team at the track until a hearing. Should the team lose that, it could appeal to the National Commissioner, whose verdict is final.
Truex's departure from Chase contention narrows the field of contenders. Considering only one driver more than 140 points back has made the Chase, only three drivers are within that threshold now.
Tony Stewart holds the final spot in the Chase heading into Saturday night's race at Chicagoland Speedway. Kevin Harvick is two points behind him. David Ragan moves to 14th and his 102 points behind Stewart. Brian Vickers is 15th and trails Stewart by 112 points.
NO DEAL: Max Siegel, president of Dale Earnhardt Inc., tells ESPN.com that "we are not for sale right now. Nothing is imminent."
Siegel's comments came after an Internet report stated that owner Teresa Earnhardt was looking to sell the team or add an investor.
"We haven't engaged anybody,"
Siegel tells ESPN.com. "People obviously approach us _ they're approaching everybody. We're looking to be around for a long time in future. We're feeling pretty (darn) good about where we're going, competition-wise."
GETTING CLOSER: Dodge is moving closer to running its new engine in a Sprint Cup race.
Tommy Wheeler, engineering services director for Gillett Evernham Motorsports, says he hopes to begin extensive track testing next month with the goal of having the engine debut sometime during the Chase in a Dodge car not competing for the title.
Wheeler said he'd like to see the new engine used in at least five races this season before all Dodge teams begin using it next year.
CANDIDATE VISIT: A Los Angeles Times political blog reports that Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic Presidential candidate, might campaign at an upcoming NASCAR race.
NASCAR Chairman Brian France said last week that he's offered invitations to Obama and John McCain, the presumptive Republican Presidential candidate, to attend a NASCAR race this year.
PIT STOPS: Resurfacing work is underway on the pit road at Martinsville Speedway. The new concrete will be in place in time for the track's upcoming races. Teammates Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin have combined to lead 28.9 percent of the 5,425 laps run this season.
