CUP: 48 Team’s Appeal Hearing Tuesday

Sprint Cup

CUP: 48 Team’s Appeal Hearing Tuesday

Team owner Rick Hendrick is appealing the Daytona fine and penalties NASCAR slapped on the 48 team…

Mike Hembree | Posted March 08, 2012 Charlotte, NC

Crew chief Chad Knaus (Center) and driver Jimmie Johnson (Right), pictured here with team owner Rick Hendrick (Left), are safe bets to be on top of the switchover to the new Sprint Cup Series car. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

The Hendrick Motorsports team’s appeal of penalties levied against team members for Daytona 500 car infractions is scheduled to be heard at 9 a.m. Tuesday at the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord, N.C.

Team crew chief Chad Knaus and car chief Ron Malec were suspended for six weeks after NASCAR officials said the No. 48 car’s C posts did not conform to specifications after pre-qualifying inspection in Daytona Beach last month.

Additionally, Knaus was fined $100,000, and driver Jimmie Johnson and team owners Rick Hendrick and Jeff Gordon were docked 25 points. As a result, Johnson is mired in 38th place in the Sprint Cup driver standings after two races.

After the penalties, Hendrick quickly announced that the team would appeal.

“Our organization respects NASCAR and the way the sanctioning body governs our sport,” he said. “In this case, though, the system broke down, and we will voice our concerns through the appeal process.”

Hendrick and Knaus later said the car configuration that was rejected at Daytona was approved and was raced four times last season. That apparently is the team’s major thrust in pursuing the appeal.

In most cases, the NASCAR appeals panel supports the sanctioning body’s penalties. In rare situations, however, appeals have resulted in less significant penalties or additional penalties.

Knaus and Malec have continued to work with the 48 team at track locations pending the appeals hearing. They are scheduled to be at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend.

Mike Hembree is NASCAR Editor for SPEED.com and has been covering motorsports for 30 years. He is a six-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award.

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