Photo Credit: Noel Lanier/OnPitRoad.com
Defending Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion, Martin Truex Jr, failed pre-race inspection three times at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
As a result of the multiple failures, Truex did not make a qualifying attempt and will start the Folds of Honor Quick Trip 500 in 35th position.
In addition to starting in the last row, Truex will also lose the benefit of having his regular car chief at the track on Sunday. Car chief, Blake Harris, has been ejected per the NASCAR rule rulebook and will not be allowed to participate in the event on Sunday.
Truex was also assessed a thirty minute practice penalty.
“It’s unfortunate that we had a situation where we had multiple failures in what was otherwise a very successful debut for the Optical Scanning Station for a downforce track,” said Scott Miller, NASCAR senior vice president of competition. “We had rear-wheel alignment problems and we had body scan problems and we just weren’t able to get all of the things legal in those attempts. We had body scan problems for the rear-wheel openings and we had rear-toe failures, as well. Between the combination of those times through, we just didn’t get a great light by the third time.”
Ironically, Truex was asked about the new NASCAR inspection procedures earlier in his media availability when asked how smoothly he anticipated the new inspection to go leading into qualifying.
Truex responded, “It’s a great question. I think we’ll find out here in about two hours. I know that our guys are planning – we stopped practice early just to try to get a jump start and have good plan going into this system today just to see what happens. We’re trying to get ahead of the curve. It has potential to be very difficult, it depends on how many guys have to go around and what type of lane that creates.”
As a long time Fan of NASCAR (40+ years) and 9 years on the NASCAR Fan Council, I still for the life of me understand HOW IS MARTIN TRUEX JR. ALLOWED TO START THE RACE ?
I mean come on, he failed Pre-Race Inspection 3 times (and even said they would have probably failed a 4th time, but did not want the extra penalty).
Okay, so they didn’t pass Pre-Race Inspection, they didn’t make a qualifying run, Butt yet, they are still going to be able to start the Race ???
Am I the only one that has a problem with this ? The Car is Illegal…How can you let him Race ? (and I like Martin Turex Jr. and he’s not the only driver to have had this happen, and still Race).
1st thing they failed was the Car’s “Body Scan” !! so NOW your saying YOU CAN BRING ANY CAR YOU LIKE to the track AND STILL Race it ?? well hell then, I’ve still got one of Elliott’s #9 T-Birds from the ’87 Season (with a totally rebuilt 351 Cleveland in it), maybe I should run it later this month at ‘Dega !!
The rest of the World of Sports has Rules/Inspections and if you don’t abide by the Rules and Pass their Inspections, you don’t participate. PERIOD…you go home.
Fining these teams is meaningless, set them down for a Race, like the “Encumbered Win” Joey had last year when he got caught cheating…killed his whole Season.
Because people in the rest of the Sports World are looking at NASCAR and seeing this happen and saying, “It’s Okay to Cheat In NASCAR” “just assign somebody we don’t really need (like the janitor) to be the “Car Chief” so if we get caught “Cheating” we won’t miss him on Race Day”
NEW JOB OPENING in NASCAR: Car Chief for the Day…
SIDE NOTE: this is the car that Won Last Year’s Championship in Dominate Fashion !!! makes ya wonder how much they were cheating then…personally if I was any of the other drivers, I’d want a “do-over” because I fell like I got cheated on.