Gordon, Johnson docked 100 points for violations

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- NASCAR has issued penalties and fines to the No. 24 and No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports teams that compete in the Nextel Cup Series, as a result of rule infractions found this past weekend at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.

Penalties announced

Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson were hit with severe penalties on Tuesday following their infractions at Sonoma.

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Both cars -- the No. 24 driven by Jeff Gordon and the No. 48 driven by Jimmie Johnson -- were found to be in violation of Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment used do not conform to NASCAR rules); 20-2.1E (parts or components of the car not previously approved by NASCAR that have been installed or modified to enhance aerodynamic performance will not be permitted); and 20-2H (fenders may not be cut or altered except for wheel or tire clearance which must be approved by the Series Director) of the 2007 NASCAR rule book. The violations were found during the initial inspection process last Friday.

As a result, Gordon and Johnson have each been penalized 100 driver championship points. Their respective crew chiefs -- Steve Letarte and Chad Knaus -- have each been fined $100,000, suspended for the next six Nextel Cup Series events until Aug. 15 and placed on probation until Dec. 31, 2007.

In addition, Rick Hendrick, owner of the No. 24, has been penalized 100 car owner championship points as has Gordon, who is the owner of the No. 48.

"We are disappointed in NASCAR's decision and feel the penalties are excessive," Hendrick said. "Right now, all of our options are being evaluated, including our personnel situation and a possible appeal to the National Stock Car Racing Commission.

"We'll take some time to decide on a direction and make an announcement regarding our plans for New Hampshire later in the week."

Gordon's lead in the driver standings was reduced to 171 points on second place Denny Hamlin. Johnson, who was third, dropped to fifth in points behind Matt Kenseth and Jeff Burton. He remains 366 points behind Gordon.

NASCAR parked the cars of Gordon and Johnson on Friday at Sonoma after each failed its Car of Tomorrow inspection prior to that day's activities at Infineon Raceway. Neither car was allowed on the track for the opening practice session of that day's qualifying.

In initial inspection Friday, NASCAR officials discovered a 10-inch piece of front fender on each of the Hendrick cars had been modified illegally.

Gordon and Johnson started the Toyota/Save Mart 350 41st and 42nd on the grid, respectively. Gordon rallied to finish seventh; Johnson forged his way forward before dropping back to 17th.

'Gray' matter

Team owner Rick Hendrick said Chad Knaus (above) and Steve Letarte and their teams did not bend any specific rules at Sonoma in large part because COT violations remain unclear as currently defined.

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The infractions mark the second major COT violation in the past three races involving the new car. The No. 8 Chevrolet team was penalized after officials at Darlington discovered rear-wing brackets had been mounted illegally.

The punishment levied by NASCAR against the two Hendrick teams is consistent with the penalties it handed down against the 8 team. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was docked 100 championship points and crew chief Tony Eury Jr. was suspended for six races. Eury will serve the last of his suspension this week at New Hampshire.

NASCAR has been busy this season fining and suspending some of its top teams. The teams of Michael Waltrip, Kasey Kahne, Elliott Sadler and Kenseth were penalized for violations in preparation for the Daytona 500.

Waltrip received the worst of the punishment, as crew chief David Hyder, who is no longer with the team, and competition director Bobby Kennedy receiving indefinite suspensions.

Robbie Reiser, crew chief for Kenseth, and Kenny Francis, team director for Kahne, were each suspended for four races while the team directors of Sadler and teammate Scott Riggs received two-race suspensions.

It will mark the second consecutive year Johnson will race without Knaus atop his pit box. Knaus was suspended for the first four races of 2006 when the 48 failed post-qualifying inspection for the Daytona 500. Knaus, who had been under NASCAR scrutiny before, was ejected from Speedweeks.

Undeterred, Johnson won the Daytona 500 and two of the four races without Knaus. He finished second and sixth in the other two races and went on to win his first Nextel Cup championship.

Kenseth won his only race this year, at Fontana, without Reiser. It stood as the only non-Chevy win of the season until Carl Edwards won two weeks ago at Michigan and Juan Montoya got Dodge its first victory last week at Sonoma.