Everybody loses with NASCAR’s one size fits all penalties for COT infractions.

So far in the record books, NASCAR has been running the COT for 16 races last season as an introduction to getting teams, drivers, fans and even NASCAR a custom to this new monster and now, as we sit three races into this season (19 COT races total), two things are for sure, 1) the racing has gotten better with the addition of the COT and 2) the penalties are just like the COT, one size fits all and on both sides of that, neither way works.

The one size fits all for templates are giving no real identity to each manufacturer besides decals, however that isn’t the subject right now, it’s the penalties issue that seems to be popping up several times over the past several months, to date, NASCAR has handed down five penalties at least that I remember for COT related issues which basically means another that has to do with COT and they have all been for totally different “issues”, basically unrelated to each other.
The penalties are basically all the same, the driver and owner are docked 100 points each, the crew chief is fined $100k and suspended for 6 races, plus probation and when you factor in what the penalties are given for, it doesn’t make sense at all.

To date, the #7-R.Gordon (found in pre-qualifying) penalty was for an unapproved nose, #8-D. Earnhardt Jr. (found in pre-qualifying) for modified rear wing brackets, and #24-J. Gordon & #48-J. Johnson (found in pre-qualifying) for two crew chiefs making modifications to the front fenders.

Last month, an outcry came about after Robby Gordon was given the one size fits all penalty for an unapproved front nose that was issued to him from his new manufacturer Dodge that had the same part number with a dash after it, the piece hasn’t been approved yet and Robby Gordon didn’t know that.

Previously I had said (and I still say) on this very subject that: “While I don’t agree with the penalty at all and I feel for Robby Gordon, however since NASCAR has backed themselves into a corner with issuing the same penalty to every offender, there for I still believe that NASCAR made the only call that they could and it is the correct one, at least they stayed consistent.”
You know with every statement which in this case is “at least they stayed consistent” is good in most cases, however in this case, the consistent with a one size fits all penalty makes every penalty questionable at best.

Now as I sit here and write this, two more penalties have been effected within the past couple of hours, first NASCAR has handed down there penalty for Carl Edwards and Roush-Fenway Racing, yes another one size fits all with a twist, Carl Edwards is docked 100 driver points, Roush is docked 100 owner points, Bob Osborne crew chief was fined $100k, suspended for 6 races and probation, plus the twist, if the #99 makes the chase, they will not get the 10 bonus points for winning Las Vegas… Wow, what a twist, they got penalized twice, first the normal (to NASCAR anyway) and again for at the beginning of the chase. So this one’s a double hit all for the oil tank reservoir cover being off which does more harm at least to the driver then good. It’s not an aero advantage, it will however cause harm to the driver. Again they gave Carl Edwards the same penalty for something totally different.

However if you thought that was huge, Robby Gordon’s appeal was heard and… the new penalty reads $150k fine which goes to the NASCAR Foundation for its charitable initiatives, no points docked… Congrats to Robby Gordon, the penalty in the beginning was unfair and what a blow to NASCAR’s penalty system, like I said in the beginning, one size doesn’t fit all period.

With that said, now it’s NASCAR’s turn to make things right in 2008, (I understand that it’s a learning curve for the COT, but you still need to make things right) starting with Carl Edward’s penalty as Robby Gordon’s penalty was changed, however what to give Carl Edwards “for a safety or is it in your case aero advantage” is debatable, going by past penalties for either way, how about docking Carl Edwards 50 driver points, #99-Roush-Fenway Racing 50 owner points, the crew chief is suspended for four races for a safety issue or aero advantage. This is the same penalty that #17-M. Kenseth and Roush Racing received after a Daytona 2007 infraction and that wasn’t a COT penalty.

So basically, 1) will NASCAR make it right starting in 2008 with Carl Edwards/Roush-Fenway Racing with a better penalty, 2) what will the appeal be for Edwards if not and 3) have we all learned anything?

Check out this article: The Science of... missing oil tank covers
Credit for the list of penalties goes to Jayski.

- Racedriven