[nascar] Gordon and Keselowski: Nascar says No Fighting!

[nascar] Gordon and Keselowski: Nascar says No Fighting! Nov 6, 2014 4:21:57 GMT -6

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Post by n7thGear™ on Nov 6, 2014 4:21:57 GMT -6

NASCAR is reaching in, sending the message that fighting won't be tolerated
When Jeff Gordon went after Brad Keselowski on pit road at Texas last week, it incited one of the biggest fights and crew brawls in NASCAR history.
It also put NASCAR on center stage, attracting national media attention and putting the spotlight on NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup.

After Sunday night's pit row brawl between Jeff Gordon and Brad Keselowski , cooler heads are finally taking over. NASCAR is reaching in, sending the message that fighting won't be tolerated, and slapping fines on the aggressors in the situation: The crew members and crew chiefs of the No. 5 and No. 24 teams. Wait, what?

Yes, in its infinite wisdom, NASCAR has levied heavy financial penalties and temporary suspensions on everyone involved in Sunday night's brawl-except for Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon, or Kevin Harvick, the three drivers whose actions caused the stupid slapfight in the first place. Three crew members were fined $25,000 and suspended for six races; one crew member was fined $10,000 and suspended for three races; and crew chiefs Kenny Francis of the No. 5 team and Alan Gustafson of the 24 team were fined $50,000 each and put on probation for the next six races.

Notice a few names missing? Jeff Gordon, who parked alongside Keselowski's car and stormed his pit crew fixing for a fight, hasn't gotten any kind of penalty from NASCAR. Kevin Harvick, who shoved Keselowski into Gordon's face in a move that seems to have kicked off the whole brawl, is similarly scot free. Check the 0:57 mark in the video below to see Harvick's move.

And most shockingly, Brad Keselowski, who's still under probation from his moronic and dangerous hissy fit with Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth at the Bank of America 500, likewise didn't receive any form of penalty for his part in the Texas 500 brawl.

In a statement announcing the crew penalties, NASCAR's Robin Pemberton said the organization determined responsibility based on a review of the post-race incident. "We therefore have penalized four crew members as well as their crew chiefs, as they ultimately are responsible for members of their team per the NASCAR rule book," Pemberton said. "A NASCAR championship is at stake, but we can't allow behavior that crosses the line to go unchecked, particularly when it puts others in harm's way."

On Sirius/XM NASCAR yesterday, CEO Brian France seemed to side with Keselowski regarding the on-track contact with Gordon that precipitated the brawl . "Quite frankly, he did exactly what any driver who has that much on the line (should do) to look for an opportunity and shoot a gap if you will," France said.

But in explaining the rule that led to the crew penalties, France inadvertently highlighted the puzzling disparity in its enforcement: "When someone is potentially injuring somebody, that will be a line we will deal with, whether you're driver or certainly a crew member," he said.

That's great, Brian. But slapping hefty fines on the crew guys, and neglecting to do the same for the hotheaded drivers who started the whole mess, is a pretty uneven way to enforce the rules. This whole situation is dumb, and the fact that the hardworking crew guys got slapped while the millionaire superstar brawlers walked free adds illogical to stupidity.

You can watch the race here: NASCAR SPRINT CUP

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Post by n7thGear™ on Nov 6, 2014 4:21:57 GMT -6

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