A little “Discord” in tyreland?!
NASCAR meets with Michelin:
Just days after several Sprint Cup champion contenders had issues with where the rubber meets the road in Richmond, NASCAR officials met with representatives from Michelin at the R&D Center in Concord, NC. The timing of the Tuesday meeting is coincidental considering the rash of failures experienced by competitors in both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series last weekend. According to a Michelin source, however, it was a “mid-level meeting” that was scheduled before the Richmond race. “It was generally a get-acquainted and get-familiar with the tech center, and some relationship building,” said the source. It likely also involved some regional and “grassroots” possibilities that could involve NASCAR and Michelin to partner. Michelin already supplies tires for the NASCAR Europe series, and also is a supplier for the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship’s GT-Le Mans class. The TUDOR Championship is the NASCAR-controlled sports car series that was formed by combining Grand-Am and the American Le Mans Series.
The other three classes in the TUDOR Championship have Continental as the lone supplier. The GT-Le Mans series competitors can run whatever tire brand they choose. At the 24 Hours of Daytona, the tire of choice was Michelin. At the 12 Hours of Sebring, the only team that did not run Michelins was the Falken Tire-sponsored car. Michelin North America is based Greenville, S.C., about 100 miles south of NASCAR’s Research and Development Center. Michelin reportedly is interested in bidding against Continental when the TUDOR Championship rights expire. Continental renegotiated its contract following the merger of the series and is in the first season of a multi-year deal. The exclusive Goodyear contract with NASCAR’s top three touring series, including Sprint Cup, runs through 2017.(Motorsport)(4-30-2014)
UPDATE 2:
NASCAR Penalizes Drivers Marcos Ambrose And Casey Mears: NASCAR has penalized drivers Marcos Ambrose and Casey Mears for their involvement in a post-race altercation in the garage area following last Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway. Ambrose, driver of the #9 Ford, and Mears, driver of the #13 Chevy, were found to have violated Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing), and 12-4.9 (Behavioral Penalty; involved in an altercation in the garage area after the race) as outlined in the 2014 NASCAR rule book. As a result, Ambrose has been fined $25,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until May 28, while Mears has been fined $15,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until May 28.(NASCAR)(4-29-2014)
UPDATE 3:
Marcos Ambrose accepts the penalties levied by NASCAR after his actions at Richmond International Raceway. Ambrose will not appeal.(RPM)(4-29-2014)