Reiser, Francis hit with four-race suspensions

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- In what could be called the most severe set of sanctions ever delivered by NASCAR in one day, four Nextel Cup crew chiefs were suspended and their teams were fined a total of $150,000, 150 driver points and 150 car owner points Tuesday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway.

Evernham Motorsports took the biggest hit as its lead car, the No. 9 Dodge of driver Kasey Kahne, lost its team director, Kenny Francis, for four races beginning with Sunday's Daytona 500; Kahne was docked 50 driver points and owner Ray Evernham 50 owner points.

Kahne's teammates, Elliott Sadler (No. 19) and Scott Riggs (No. 10) lost their team directors, Josh Browne and Rodney Childers, respectively, for two races apiece; Sadler and Riggs will lose 25 driver points each, and owners Evernham (19) and James Rocco (10) will be docked 25 owner points following the Daytona 500.

Roush Racing's No. 17 Ford team for driver Matt Kenseth was hit with an equivalent penalty as Kahne's -- with both infractions involving "air improperly ducted into the car," according to NASCAR vice president of competition Robin Pemberton.

Kenseth's crew chief Robbie Reiser will serve a four-race suspension and he was assessed a $50,000 fine. Kenseth will lose 50 driver points and owner Jack Roush 50 owner points.

Kenseth last year finished second to Jimmie Johnson in the Nextel Cup championship. If Reiser is not reinstated for the Daytona 500, it will be the first race he's missed with the 17 crew in 255 starts.

"Obviously I'm disappointed with the penalty and the fact I won't be there at the Daytona 500 and for the following races," Reiser said. "It was my job to ensure that the cap on the wheel well was properly secured, but it came off during our qualifying run and we ended up outside of the rules because of it.

"I understand NASCAR has a set of rules and we have to abide by them and it's ultimately my responsibility to make sure we do that."

"I am saddened by the fact that Robbie will not be with the No. 17, Matt Kenseth-driven Nextel Cup racecar for this year's Daytona 500," Roush said. "We remain very confident about the preparation of this team for 2007 and remain confident of our chances for success in the Daytona 500 and in the upcoming races. (Continued)