(Dale Earnhardt) Jr's Busch Crew Cheated, NASCAR Looked Away, I Saw It All

Inside the PitBox.com ^ | 7/7/03 | Rob Faiella

[kjam22]

DJ88, the author of the article was an eyewitness, and he has the names of the 3 NASCAR officials involve

Do you believe everything you read?

[Hatteras]

"Dale Jr. won that race wire-to-wire. For those who know anything about NASCAR, you'll know how extraordinary such a feat is. If the car was that exceptional due to cheating that three Officials witnessed and did nothing about, then it calls the integrity of the entire sport into question."

...and if you really payed any attention at all lately, you'll know that the DEI cars have ruled the restrictor tracks in the past few years. "Wire-to-wire" would not be a far stretch (especially with the lack of competition in a Busch race) and it proves, more than likely, that any adjustment by the crew member had no effect at all in the outcome.

[DJ88]

"Just a tiny lil' question: If cheating this blatant is going on where Jr. can win a race wire-to-wire with such manipulation, then why don't the other crews seem to notice and howl about it to NASCAR, the media, and anybody else who cares to take the time to listen?

Oh come'on man! Don't play dumb!!!! You and I both know this was done in the dark of night when all the other teams were in a deep, deep slumber dreaming of dancing tires and wrinkled sheet metal after drinking a magic sleeping potion concocted by Harry that he poured into their beers.

[Hatteras]

"Didn't watch but Id bet JR took any line he pleased in the turns."

Jr. takes any line he pleases at Daytona all the time. DEI has the track figured out.

[al_c]

Down force would not be affected but side force would by a raised right front.

But a post-race adjustment wouldn't help.

[Uriah]

And couldn't this same modification (if proven desirable}
be done at first pit?

[DJ88]

Yes, that was my point entirely. The only witness.

As far as having the name of the THREE NASCAR OFFICIALS, all you have to do is walk up to them in the garage area and look at their credentials, which are on the badges they wear around their neck all weekend long.

This is a weak case. I think the author was just having a really bad hair day.

[DJ88]

"And couldn't this same modification (if proven desirable} be done at first pit?"

Of course it could. And it would have been much harder to prove, too.

Personally, I think the officials were looking the flames on the side of the car.

[Petronski]

They also replaced the stock "Fuzzy Dice" with synthetic ones that did not go up to six.

"Ours go to seven."

[Hatteras]

If you were to say this happened at Lowe's or Atlanta and Jr. led every lap, then you might have something. But it happened at Daytona where the DEI cars are consistantly the best cars out there.

The problem they will start seeing at Daytona & Talladega is that the 31 team is starting to dial that car in also and Robby Gordon will not settle for pushing Jr. and Michael around the track.

[DJ88]

Me and you both. ;-) I'm just glad he didn't get taken out. After all, Steve Park was on the pole.

It could have been a one car race.

[Wolfstar]

I think you need to get a grip and a fresh shot of reality.

Ummm...first, I merely posted the article for discussion. In it, the reporter describes something he personally witnessed. If you've got a problem with the story, email him.

Second, as to reality, in case you haven't noticed, sports are a huge part of life all around the world. Professional sports stars get paid immense sums, presumably because we, the paying and viewing public, believe that the feats they accomplish are genuine.

Third, when it comes to a sport like NASCAR, lives are on the line — lives not only of the drivers, but pit crews, officials, and spectators, as well. Just in the last few years, we lost Adam Petty (whose wonderful smile and brilliant talent I still miss), Kenny Irwin, and Dale Earnhardt Sr., among others. Cheating on those racecars has the potential to cause death if an illegal part breaks, or if something is left off a car that should have been there — or if some dopey crewman thinks he's helping the aero by illegally reshaping the hood and fenders, and the different aero load leads to tire failure putting the car into the wall. That didn't happen, thank God. But what if it had?

Given what happened at Daytona 2001, I should think Earnhardt fans would be the FIRST to want to protect Junior rather than make excuses for this foolish crewman and those NASCAR officials who looked the other way.

[DJ88]

"Jr. takes any line he pleases at Daytona all the time. DEI has the track figured out."

Let us not forget that the DEI cars were also dominent at Daytona the day the Dale Earnhardt died there. Was that part of a big conspiracy, too? Sheesh.

[billbears]

LOL. Now no cracks on Jeffie. He might get upset and throw a hissy. And I don't see the problem with this necessarily. Goes back to the days when NASCAR wasn't a business. Back when Junior Johnson was underneath the hood of Elliott's car, and Cale and Darrell were still out there

[Conspiracy Guy]

I wasn't saying it happened I was explaining the aerodynamic ?'s that were asked. I like JR.

[Conspiracy Guy]

I playing card size piece of metal in the crack between fender and right fender would give added side force to hold line in turns at Daytona or Talladega.

[DJ88]

Wolfstar, not everyone posting here wears the #8 plastered to every part of their apparel. This story just does not gel with anyone, Jr. fan or not.

If he [the author] really saw this happen, he should be calling FOX to tell them about it, since NBC won't take his calls. If he really saw it happen, then where are the pictures of the crew member actually doing it while he sat there and witnessed it? And don't tell me he didn't have time to take them. If he had time to take the pictures of the officials that allegedly laughed their heads off, then he had time to get pictures of the crew member lifting up the fender.

This story is stupid and it isn't worth the paper it's written on.

[DAVEY CROCKETT]

winners always win!!!!!!it used to be gordons car was the most inspected car in nascar then he lost his crew chief and we knew he would never ever win again.now pick on jr with lies!!if you knew anything about a race car you would know where the fender attaches at the top.you can ram another car with that fender and it will not do what you say.think about it if you can.there are people standing around us during inspection like you would not bielive.you also do not want to push that fender in and expose the tire.and if you pull it out further than the other fender you will develop a push towards the wall.i know this is over your head.but try to understand it.oh well i got to go se what other craziness is on the net.oh i hate jr.go big blue.

[Wolfstar]

It's not a question of what I believe. If you want to focus your irritation at me, there's nothing I can do about it. But you're looking in the wrong place. As I said, if you have a problem with the story, email its author. I merely posted it for discussion, which is the point of FR.

As for my concern about NASCAR having a written rule book and an evenhanded way of enforcing its rules, that is a long-, long-standing debate/complaint — not only of fans, but of drivers, owners, and other observers of the sport. I come down on the side that says they should, and that's the reason this particular story interested me.

[Conspiracy Guy]

That could be explained by such an adjustment if it really occurred. I'm not saying it did or didn't but it would give them an advantage. I like MW and Little E.