Kvapil Penalty - ever consider that.....

[Chris]

HI Gang.. I was just sitting here reading about the Kvapil penalty.  150 points.  hhuumm
Something kind of struck me.  That much seems to be excessive...
And another thing was that just THIS race R Gordon had fallen out of the top 35, and was in a position to have to try an qualify to make the races again.
Now with 150 point penalty against Kvapil,.. here all of a sudden Gordon is back IN the top 35 with 100 point cushion in case he keeps having bad luck (and a road course coming up he should run well on)

All of just struck me as kind of funny.
Here Gordon attempts every race... has brought some GOOD sponsors to the sport, and in general is a dedicated NASCAR racer,
Then we have the three teams that are owned by the guy that owns Kvapils car.  They largely barely get by,.. and have often been some of the start-n-park teams.
Just wondering if maybe NASCAR is sending some type of message here..??

[just a fan]

If I recall correctly the last huge penalty NASCAR passed down was to Carl Long. He was in a similar situation as a struggling back marker. His was in my opinion more excusable because his team had nothing to do with the engines and according to several experts the tolerances could have been caused by heating and cooling cycles.
Kvapil on the other hand was a definate try for an advantage. They have no excuse and will just have to bend over and take the penalty and hope they don't get caught again.
Chris if it were anybody but Robby Gordon that this helped I might buy the conspiracy but NASCAR is not exactly his biggest fan. I think they may be happy if he just falls away from the sport.

[Chris]

Yeah I had the same feeling about Robby.  He has been pretty quite, and played by NASCAR's rules for the last couple years.  I kind of think they are 'neutral' on Robby.
Seeing as it was (even) Robby vs start n park drivers (knowing how there is so much negative media about SNP's and how NASCAR will control it,... thats just what raised my eyebrows
I wondered if maybe anyone else thought that "there's a warning shot over the bow  of the start n park teams".  If you intend to start n park.. better make sure you stay WELL within the rules...

I could be all wet... maybe I am paranoid because of all the black helicopters hovering over my house??

[south jersey girl]

I wouldn't catorgorize the Front Row cars as start and parkers...aren't they usually still running at the end of the race?  I seem to recall a couple of races where Gilliland and/or Kvapil had engine issues, but for the most part they run the whole race.

[Chris]

yeah.. you know.   I am probably wrong there.
You have a good point there gal.
It was probably wrong to clump them in with Nemechek, Blaney, and McDowell, etc..
I also read that since B Labonte lost his sponsor, they will probably start and park in races they have no sponsor on board.

[KurtBuschFan]

Front Row Motorsports seems to at least try to run the full distance, so I'm not so sure that this is a punishment to the team so much as it is a clear message NASCAR won't tolerate this kind of stuff.