Jimmie Johnson now has NEGATIVE points

[TeamBlueOval]

NASCAR suspends Knaus for six weeks; Hendrick to appeal: NASCAR has issued penalties, suspensions and fines to the #48 team in the Sprint Cup Series, as a result of rules infractions found on Feb. 17 during opening day inspection for the Daytona 500. The #48 car was found to be in violation of Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4J (any determination by NASCAR officials that race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules detailed in Section 20 of the rule book or has not been approved by NASCAR prior to the event); and 20-2.1E (if in the judgment of NASCAR officials, any part or component of the car not previously approved by NASCAR that has been installed or modified to enhance aerodynamic performance will not be permitted -- unapproved car body modifications). As a result, crew chief Chad Knaus and car chief Ron Malec have been suspended from the next six Sprint Cup Series championship events, suspended from NASCAR until April 18 and placed on NASCAR probation until May 9. Additionally, Knaus has been fined $100,000. Driver Jimmie Johnson and car owner Jeff Gordon have been penalized with the loss of 25 driver and 25 owner points, respectively.(NASCAR)

That leaves Jimmie with NEGATIVE 23 driver points. He earned 2 at Daytona and NASCAR took away 25!

[mattemmy99]

Awesome...

[speedfan]

That is crazy, he better hope he can get a good finish at Phoenix. It would be fun to see Matt win Phoenix and Jimmie finish in the back again so that he would be more than 2 races out of the lead after 2 races.

[DeeDee]

Awwwww poor Jimmie

[DeeDee]

[ARTICLE=Big penalty sends Johnson into negative territory Knaus, No. 48 car chief hit with six-race suspensions; will work through appeal]By David Caraviello, NASCAR.COM
February 29, 2012 4:18 PM, EST

Jimmie Johnson will head to Phoenix International Raceway with a negative point total after NASCAR dropped a massive penalty on the No. 48 team Wednesday that also includes six-race suspensions to the program's crew chief and car chief.

NASCAR penalized Johnson 25 points for modifications to car body pieces that it deemed illegal Feb. 17 in opening inspection for the Daytona 500. In addition, crew chief Chad Knaus and car chief Ron Malec have each been suspended from the next six Sprint Cup events, and Knaus also was fined $100,000. Johnson's team, Hendrick Motorsports, immediately announced it would appeal the penalty, and planned no personnel modifications for Phoenix -- meaning that Knaus and Malec would work until the appeal is held.

"Our organization respects NASCAR and the way the sanctioning body governs our sport," car owner Rick Hendrick said in a statement. "In this case, though, the system broke down, and we will voice our concerns through the appeal process."

Johnson crashed in the opening laps of Monday night's season-opening Daytona 500 (watch), and finished the event with only two points. The point penalty, which unlike the suspensions goes into effect immediately despite the appeal, means Johnson will go to Phoenix with negative-23 points in the Sprint Cup standings, and be 70 points behind series leader Matt Kenseth (Standings).

According to NASCAR, the key rule the No. 48 team was found to be in violation of was Section 20-2.1E -- unapproved car body modifications, specifically any part of the car modified to enhance aerodynamic performance.

* 48 car violations according to the NASCAR rule book

Inspectors found issue with the car's C pillars, the posts that connect the roof to the rear deck lid, which they deemed had been illegally modified. The posts were cut from the vehicle and confiscated by NASCAR, while Hendrick flew in new car parts that were welded on so the car could go through inspection again the next day, when it passed.

"There were some obvious modifications that the inspectors picked up on, and did some additional inspections with some gauges and stuff, and found that they were just too far out of tolerance to fix," Sprint Cup director John Darby said when the violation was discovered. "So they were removed from the car."

It was not the first time that Knaus had run afoul of NASCAR at Daytona. He was ejected from Speedweeks -- and suspended for the following three Cup events -- in 2006, after Johnson's car failed post-qualifying inspection because of a modification in the rear window area. He was later fined $25,000, although Johnson went on to win the Daytona 500 and again two weeks later at Las Vegas.[/ARTICLE]

[TeamBlueOval]

It will take a decent finish just for him to get out of the hole!

[mattemmy99]

Be funny if he didn't make top 35 after five races.....heheeee

[DeeDee]

^^ good one

[speedfan]

Be funny if he didn't make top 35 after five races.....heheeee

yeah but it wouldn't matter because of the recent champ rule. Only person that could prevent him from that is Tony and I doubt that he'll be outside the top 35 as well

[mattemmy99]

Isn't there a limit in how many they can use?

[speedfan]

Isn't there a limit in how many they can use?

I believe it is something like 5

[mattemmy99]

See....think positive....lol

[mattemmy99]

Have a Go homer beat him in. Qualifying.lol

[DeeDee]

too funny!
<<Love picking on him

[Dog]

I thought it was supposed to be a bigger than previous ones...... To me that doesn't look any worse than some he's had in the past.

[mattemmy99]

too funny!
<<Love picking on him

Me too...especially when my cousin is a huge JJ fan.....