Commission to hear Roush appeal Saturday

CONCORD, N.C. -- Roush Racing's request that their appeal of NASCAR's 25-point penalty against Mark Martin be heard prior to Sunday's race has been granted, NASCAR vice president for communications Jim Hunter said Wednesday afternoon.

	Jack Roush

The National Stock Car Commission has scheduled a hearing on the appeal for Saturday morning in Homestead, Fla. According to Hunter, representatives from Roush Racing will meet with commission chairman George Silvermann and two other members from a 22-person list of commission members.

Other members include:

Jack Arute, Sr., owner of Stafford Motor Speedway (Conn.); Jack Housby, owner of Housby trucking; Gary Bahre, owner of New Hampshire International Speedway; Lee Baumgarten, general manager of Phoenix International Raceway; John Bishop, founder of IMSA; Clay Campell, president of Martinsville Speedway; John Capels, former president of USAC.

MARTIN'S PENALTY  •  Roush decides to appeal  •  Roush Racing might file appeal on Wednesday  •  Roush probably will not appeal Martin's penalty  •  Roush ponders challenges to penalty  •  Martin penalized 25 points for coil infraction  •  Martin's car fails post-race inspection

John Cooper, former president of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Daytona International Speedway; Barbara Cromarty, owner of Riverhead Raceway on Long Island; Terry Eames, owner of Waterford Speedbowl (Conn.); Richard Gore, owner of Old Dominion Speedway (Va.); Russell Hackett, owner of Carraway Speedway (N.C.); Grant Lynch, president of Talladega Superspeedway.

Dennis McGlynn, president of Dover International Speedway; Leo Mehl, former head of Goodyear Racing and former competition director for the Indy Racing League; Dale Pinilis, operator of Bowman-Gray Stadium; Les Richter, former NASCAR official; Bob Smith, former NASCAR official.

Mike Staley, North Wilkesboro Speedway; Bill Taylor, former competition director for USAC; H.A. Humpy Wheeler, president of Lowe's Motor Speedway and Jo DeWitt Wilson, president of North Carolina Speedway.

"They will meet with representatives of Roush Racing and NASCAR officials involved in this particular incident, hear all sides of the arguments and render a decision," Hunter said.

The appeal stems from a penalty issued to Martin after the Pop Secret 400 at North Carolina Speedway, following which NASCAR found what they deemed an illegal left front spring on Martin's Ford. The spring was found to have 1/8 of a coil less than NASCAR's mandated 4 1/2 coils.

MESSAGE BOARD  Discuss the issue on Martin's message board.

"The decision will be made before the race starts Sunday," Hunter said. "The commission has the authority to modify a penalty, meaning that they can increase the penalty, decrease the penalty and there have been instances where a commission hearing has thrown out a decision.

"There have been instances where penalties have been decreased when the commission decides it's too much. They've also raised penalties before. It's informal and they hear both sides of an argument and they make a decision."

If Roush Racing is still not satisfied with the ruling following Saturday's meeting, they can then appeal to the National Commissioner, Charles D. Strang. Strang, former president and CEO of Outboard Marine Corporation and a member of the American Power Boat Association, was former NASCAR owner Carl Kiekhaefer's right-hand man.

Kiekhaefer, founder of Mercury Marine, was involved in NASCAR racing back in the late 40s and early 50s, owning cars driven by legends Buck Baker and Tim Flock, among others.