DEI cheating?

[JohnMickish]

This came right off of Jayski's site.

Sunday's Talladega Confiscated Part: Michael Waltrip's #15 NAPA Chevrolet had a steel spacer confiscated by NASCAR at Talladega, measuring 14 inches across which blocked the holes in the wheel/rim. It fit between the wheel and the hub. NASCAR rules make it illegal to block the rim openings, according to [DEI's] Steve Hmiel teams use to tape the openings closed allowing the cars to go faster. NASCAR allows a spacer but only 7 inches in diameter.(Insider Racing News)(10-3-2005)

Hmm, what do you DEI fans have to say about this? Is this cheating or just being creative?

[Curly]

Stuff like that happens every week and it's not just DEI, I don't think you'll be getting any DEI fans all worked up over it.

[NAPAFISH]

He's trying to distract from the Hackrick issue.

This is nowhere near what they did at Hackrick.

[JohnMickish]

Yes, everyone does it, not just DEI, but this one is DEI. The media has them pegged as the premier team in the show and they got caught. Is this any different than running trick shocks? The rule book clearly states that this type of spacer is illegal. Those shocks where legal as they had all the specified, just not in the order of the intent of the rule.

DEI fans gave the Hendrick organization he!! last week for being creative. This one is clearly against the rules.

I'm just venting so don't take it personally. My driver is not doing so well, and none of it's his fault (so far). I just wanted to bring this little issue to everyones attention so everyone realizes that one team isn't any cleaner than another, but the Ford teams don't seam to have to much trouble with the tech guys this year. (now watch, I probably just jinxed it)

[Sifty]

Someone get's it every week. These cars are so evenly matched that any advantage is going to give them a edge.

I think they call it s t r e t c h i n g the RULES. I don't think this is every going to change.

Sifty

[PERCHJR]

I am with yah on this one NAPA!!! It was just a little distraction!!!

GOOD LUCK AND GOOD FISHING!!!

[PierBridge]

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just wanted to bring this little issue to everyones attention so everyone realizes that one team isn't any cleaner than another,

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That's where your wrong DEI has wrote the book on CHEATING they are the pioneers of it, Dale was the best cheater/racer of all time. Not sure whats up at DEI lately, have not seen Jr make up multiple laps or pass 20 cars with 3 laps to go in a race like he use to, so my guess is they were experimenting/cheating and just got sloppy with it.

It's no big deal....

[Guest]

I think it comes down to one thing,all racers push the rules to the limit and push it where they think they can get away with it.As you watch its a different team almost every week getting caught.For the ones that think that thier driver doesnt do that its just a matter of time before they also get caught,they have just found something that Nascar has not figured out yet.Its like anything else,big money and people to keep happy and you wont do that losing and not winning,so you need to push everything to the max including the rules to win.I like DEI and yes they do it,and the ones I dont cheer for do it also,but I dont dislike them for doing it ,nature of the beast.

[lawdog]

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This came right off of Jayski's site.

Sunday's Talladega Confiscated Part: Michael Waltrip's #15 NAPA Chevrolet had a steel spacer confiscated by NASCAR at Talladega, measuring 14 inches across which blocked the holes in the wheel/rim. It fit between the wheel and the hub. NASCAR rules make it illegal to block the rim openings, according to [DEI's] Steve Hmiel teams use to tape the openings closed allowing the cars to go faster. NASCAR allows a spacer but only 7 inches in diameter.(Insider Racing News)(10-3-2005)

Hmm, what do you DEI fans have to say about this? Is this cheating or just being creative?

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I'd like hear Lmitout's take on this issue since he's so concerned with even non rules violations impacting the races!!!

[LMITOUT]

I have no problem admitting this was a rules infraction, although I seriously doubt it had as much of an effect as a car riding around a short track ~1/4" higher in the rear would because of "trick" shocks.

[JohnMickish]

Rules are rules, right? Or is it ok to break some that don't have that much effect? There where many crewchiefs that said you won't get beat by 1/4 of an inch, it's what you do with that 1/4 inch that will beat you. Same can be said for ANY rule infraction.

[TNFL]

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I hope they sleep well at night....it's going to catch up with them sooner or later.

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I think it has caught up with the horrible DEI teams.

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You know what?? They got caught. As a fan you have to take your lumps, grow a pair, and move on. Truth hurts

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Is anyone here ready to admit that JR. and WALLtrip were cheating when they had thier restricter plate successess. This isn't the first time DEI has been caught. I also remember something about an illegal alloy for the roof panel. But,....I'm sure that didn't make as much of a difference as NON-ILLEGAL SHOCKS.

[kato811]

its olny cheating if they catch them . and ill tell you they all use the gray area of the rule book in nascar. if you dint you wont be there. every little bit helps when your at the top of the game like they are. as far as them cheating when they were winning they never got caught so i geuss it wasent cheating was it? its like saying mark maguire was taking steroids when he set his record. it olnty cheating when they catch them. i dont condon cheating by any means. but if theres a gray area in the rule book it will be exploited

[kato811]

if DEI is cheating this year then mike tice must be calling the shots there to. LOL

[JohnMickish]

Here is the judgement. Oh yea, the 8 car got caught too.

Tony Gibson, crew chief of the #15 Chevrolet driven by Michael Waltrip, was fined $10,000. During pre-qualifying inspection last Friday, the #15 was found to have an unapproved air directional device and unapproved wheel spacers – violations of Sections 12-4-A and 12-4-Q.

Tony Eury Jr., crew chief of the #8 Chevrolet driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr., was fined $2,500. During opening day inspection last Thursday, the #8 was found to have unapproved fuel cell foam, violating 12-4-A and 12-4-Q.

Morgan Shepard also got caught but nobody from Roush, Hendrick, Penske or Gibbs got caught with anything. Key word being caught.

[eyepatrol]

I think mnfishinguy had a good point earlier on in this post. It seems to me that most of the infractions are coming from Chevy teams which would include the RCR, DEI and Hendrick teams. Haven't heard much from the Roush teams. I'd be curious to know if there's something they're getting by with which NASCAR has not yet noticed. OR, if they really have things figured out legally and are being sucessful, legally?

I'm not much of a Ford fan, but so far, they've come pretty clean from what I can tell.

There, being I'm a Chevy fan, maybe I DID just jinx the Fords!!!

[PierBridge]

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I'd be curious to know if there's something they're getting by with which NASCAR has not yet noticed. OR, if they really have things figured out legally and are being sucessful, legally?

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Fords cheat? heck NO.

By the way I have some ocean side beach front property for sale in the Sahara desert you may be interested in...Cheap.

[OUTDOORNUT]

Ford teams are at the end of the Taurus area, I think there will be some struggles as the Fusion is introduced next season. So they have had the most time with the same car, campared to the Charger and Monte. That might be ONE of the reasons they have exceled with the least amount of teams in NASCAR.

It will be intersting IF Toyota enters the sport. Ford has their teams "Locked up" Yates, Roush and Wood Brothers (going to two teams next year.) I don't think Ford is worried about having "X" amount of teams. Quality over quanity. I'm guessing the Chevy teams are the ones that Toyota are going to go after when they do come. There is always Chip, he'll go wherever the $$ is, so I could see them jumping the Charger ship for Toyota without blinking.

[lawdog]

I think for sure it will BDR and Ganassi heading the Toyota charge. Beyond that I think it would be new teams for them.