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SPEED Quotes: Darrell Waltrip On Hendrick Appeal Denial
SPEED and NASCAR on FOX analyst Darrell Waltrip discusses Hendrick Motorsports’ failure to win its initial appeal...
SPEED Staff  |  Posted March 13, 2012   Charlotte, NC
WALTRIP REACTS TO UPHOLDING OF HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS PENALTY

The National Stock Car Racing Appeals Panel on Tuesday unanimously upheld the original penalties assessed by NASCAR against Hendrick Motorsports and crew chief Knaus for violations found in opening-day inspection at Daytona International Speedway last month. Following is reaction from SPEED and NASCAR on FOX analyst Darrell Waltrip regarding Hendrick Motorsports’ failure to win their initial appeal and their next and final step in appealing the decision to National Stock Car Racing Chief Appellate Officer John Middlebrook:

Your reaction to the panel’s decision to uphold the original penalties assessed by NASCAR?

Waltrip: “I am surprised this wasn’t overturned in some form. I really thought there would be some sort of a reduction in the penalty. The money and points fine makes sense to me, and Jimmie Johnson has made up a lot of points recently and is coming up through the point standings. But six weeks’ suspension for Chad (Knaus) and the car chief (Ron Malec) – I thought that was a little excessive. But there is precedent. It’s not like this hasn’t been done before or this is a cruel and unusual punishment.

“From the panel’s perspective, NASCAR and its inspectors would have had to have done something glaringly wrong at Daytona to warrant reversing the original decision and penalties. Most of us expected the panel to side with NASCAR. That doesn’t mean the panel is prejudiced or acts as a rubber stamp. The panel doesn’t look at circumstantial evidence. They look at what happened and what, if any, rules were broken by the team. Was the process handled in the proper manner? If the panel is satisfied that everything was handled properly, they’re unlikely to reverse a decision. If no rule had been broken by the team, the panel would have had an easy job. This process is like a football team appealing a call made on the field. The next appeal to John Middlebrook would be like the refs going to the video to make a call. But like Rick Hendrick said, I’m glad we have a process we can appeal through. NASCAR doesn’t just tell teams to ‘suck it up and move on.’ At least there is a process in place.”
NASCAR legend/FOX & SPEED analyst Darrell Waltrip. (Photo: Getty Images)

On whether Knaus’ past history with NASCAR violations may have played a role in the panel’s failure to overturn the penalties:

Waltrip: “I would like to think every case stands on its own merit. But sometimes a team or crew chief is under more scrutiny than anyone else, especially when they have a reputation of doing questionable things – not even wrong and illegal – but questionable. But once you’re placed in that box by public opinion, you’ll be scrutinized more so than others.”
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