Track Smack: It's all stars at Hendrick, not so at DEI

1. Why did NASCAR bust Tony Eury Jr. and DEI with such a severe penalty?

David Caraviello: Welcome to the Car of Tomorrow, boys and girls. The tolerances are airtight and they don't want anyone messing with them. This is a message to the rest of the garage: Stay in the box.

Dave Rodman: Like with a lot of other things in life, they have painted themselves into a severely restricted corner. There is no stepping back from here, unless, of course, they go inconsistent on us. And we know they would never do that, would they?

Raygan Swan: Well they are making a firm statement, especially with violations found on the COT. NASCAR said they were going to do this, back in Daytona. I do think it was a bit heavy on Eury, a first-time offender, though.

David Caraviello: You have to think it didn't matter who committed the penalty or what it was for, but the first guy to trifle with the COT was going to get hammered.

Dave Rodman: Obviously, the biggest question to ask is, why did it take NASCAR all the way to pre-race inspection to determine the brackets were illegal, since the car was initially presented that way?

David Caraviello: Great question Dave. You mean, why did they miss it earlier in the race weekend?

Dave Rodman: Exactly.

Raygan Swan: Does anyone have an answer?

David Caraviello: Can you tweak that wing in between initial inspection and pre-race inspection?

Dave Rodman: I believe you can make incremental adjustments. But you would think the gang would be good enough to determine "that bracket" would allow an out-of-bounds wing adjustment -- therefore they could have just taken them in opening inspection, and no penalty would have been needed.

Raygan Swan: I agree Roadman. Especially when these could potentially be some of the last races spent with his pal and cousin, Junior.

Dave Rodman: It seems like NASCAR screwed up and Tony's head is on a stake for the next seven weeks on account. And that seems unfair as heck. Unless there's something I neither understand nor know about what went down.

David Caraviello: I'm far from a technical guy and likely out of my depth here, but if it passed the first time and failed the next time, you have to think it was tampered with in between.

Dave Rodman: Well, it made it through initial inspection and pre-qualifying inspection, so third time was definitely not a charm.

David Caraviello: Maybe that's what NASCAR was so displeased with.

Dave Rodman: But having said that, COT infractions cannot be trifled with, and that statement would have needed to be made eventually -- but those brackets are very noticeable in inspection, when the car goes into the "claw gallery" with its bare butt exposed like a plucked chicken. (Continued)