CONCORD, N.C. (AP) - An appeals panel on Tuesday upheld penalties levied against five-time champion Jimmie Johnson’s crew chief for failing the opening day inspection at the Daytona 500.
The three-member committee heard testimony from Hendrick Motorsports and NASCAR, then ruled unanimously in favor of the sanctions.
NASCAR said Knaus presented a car that had illegally modified sheet metal between the roof and the side windows, the area known as the C Post. Knaus has maintained NASCAR made that determination with a visual inspection, the No. 48 Chevrolet never even made it to the templates at Daytona, and the car had been used at all four restrictor-plate races in 2011.
Team owner Rick Hendrick said the team will appeal to the National Stock Car Racing chief appellate officer, and Knaus will work this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway during the appeal process.
“I don’t accept it,” Hendrick said outside NASCAR’s R&D Center. “Period.”
Knaus was suspended six races and fined $100,000; Johnson was docked 25 points and car chief Ron Malec also was suspended six races.
The three appeals panel members who heard Knaus’ appeal were former USAC chairman John Capels, former Indy Racing League and Goodyear executive Leo Mehl and Dale Pinilis, operator of Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem.
The next step for Knaus is a hearing before John Middlebrook, who was appointed in early 2010 as the final judge in NASCAR’s appeals process. Middlebrook, who earns $1 a year in this job, retired in 2008 after 49 years with General Motors.
His first case came in late 2010 when Richard Childress Racing appealed a championship-crippling 150-point penalty against Clint Bowyer. Middlebrook did not reinstate Bowyer’s points but reduced crew chief Shane Wilson’s suspension from six races to four, and cut his fine from $150,000 to $100,000.
A reduction in races suspended is probably the best-case scenario for Knaus.
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