March 12, 2008 (Concord N.C.) - Roush Fenway Racing officials announced Wednesday they would not appeal the penalties imposed by NASCAR following the post-race inspection of Carl Edwards' car at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
“We have conducted a thorough internal investigation and have found no evidence whatsoever that anyone intended for the bolt/nut fastener to fail to secure the lid for the entire race,” Jack Roush, team co-owner, said in a prepared statement. “We have subsequently added protective measures to insure that the lid will remain fastened even if a failure of this type should again occur.”
Roush Fenway Racing President Geoff Smith added, “We realize in the NASCAR system of penalty administration that simple negligence, by itself, is never sufficient grounds to overturn or reduce a penalty. Consequently, no appeal will be made of the penalties assessed by NASCAR.”
Edwards was allowed to keep his victory in the Las Vegas Sprint Cup race, but he was docked 100 points, as was Roush. Also, if Edwards' team qualifies for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, the team will not receive the 10 bonus points for the UAW-Dodge 400 victory used for determining The Chase seeding order. Crew chief Bob Osborne was fined $100,000, suspended from the next six Sprint Cup events, suspended from NASCAR until April 30, and placed on probation until Dec. 31.
In issuing the penalties, NASCAR officials said the team violated the section of the rule book that prohibits any device or duct work that allows air to pass from one area of the interior of the car to another, or to the outside of the car. This includes, but is not limited to, the inside of the car to the trunk area, or the floors, firewalls, crush panels and wheel wells passing air into or out of the car.
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03-13-2008, 11:45 PM
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