Carl Edwards fined 100 driver points

[ALS]

Edwards was allowed to keep the victory in the UAW-Dodge 400 -- his second consecutive win in NASCAR's top-tier Sprint Cup Series -- but he was stripped of 100 championship points. That dropped Edwards from leading the season's early point standings to seventh, and lifted Kyle Busch into the top spot.

If Edwards qualifies for NASCAR's Chase for the Cup late-season title playoff, he also would lose the 10 bonus points awarded to drivers for each race they won earlier in the season. His crew chief, Bob Osborne, was suspended for the next six races, fined $100,000 and put on probation until Dec. 31.

Edwards drives the No. 99 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing, and team co-owner Jack Roush also was penalized 100 owner points. Roush Fenway spokeswoman Joyce Caron-Mercier said Edwards and the others had no immediate comment, but that the team planned to respond today. Teams can appeal the penalties.

After Edwards won at Las Vegas, which followed his victory a week earlier at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, NASCAR officials, during a post-race inspection, found the lid was missing on his oil tank, which sits behind the driver.

NASCAR said that broke its rules against tampering with anything that changes how air moves in and out of a car which, at speeds of nearly 200 mph, can provide an aerodynamic advantage. NASCAR declined to elaborate.

 

[Johnny]

Wow! Think I will take the oil cap off of my Jeep to see if I can get some aerodynamic improvements.

 

[SubLGT]

hard to see how an oil cap interferes with aerodynamics

 

[Shaman]

Did someone take it off, or forget to put it back on? that sounds kinda retarded.

 

[RWEST]

That's the second or third "missing oil tank cover" incident this season so far, isn't it? I think there were a couple at Daytona.
According to what I read at NASCAR.com http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/headlines/cup/03/05/cedwards.penalized.lasvegas/index.html , the bolt that holds the cover in place broke during the race from "harmonics" or something. Hmmm. Seems a little strange. Wonder how many, if any, other cars had missing covers. Kinda' visualizing a flurry of crew members climbing into the cars with nuts/bolts at the end of the race.

It's an oil tank cover inside the car. The guys are always talking about how well sealed the inside of those cars are, how there's no airflow in there to cool the driver, etc..., so, what possible airflow 'advantage' could be gained by having the cover off?

 

[mikered30]

Answer is in this article: http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/columns/story?seriesId=2&columnist=newton_david&id=3282306

 

[02zx9r]

Originally Posted By: RWEST


It's an oil tank cover inside the car. The guys are always talking about how well sealed the inside of those cars are, how there's no airflow in there to cool the driver, etc..., so, what possible airflow 'advantage' could be gained by having the cover off?


was gonna ask the same thing. How can something in the car , behind the driver get a airflow advantage?

COME ON #24

Hope #20 goes into wall every race, dont want him to get hurt, just crash a little every race

 

[02zx9r]

Originally Posted By: mikered30
Answer is in this article: http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/columns/story?seriesId=2&columnist=newton_david&id=3282306


well after reading this i guess teams "might" do whatever they can to get an advantage.

Not #24 though.

Yes #20 can still dnf every race

 

[bdcardinal]

the oil tank on a cup car is located directly behind the driver. the floor below it goes directly to the gound. there is a very thick steel box surrounding the dry sump tank. the top is secured with fasteners. what happens when the top is left loose is air from under the car is allowed to enter the driver area, thus creating downforce.