| One reason for building the Car of Tomorrow was to | | | | his fault. Nevertheless, NASCAR took away 100 |
| cut costs; another was to simplify the inspection | | | | driver and 100 owner points and fined crew chief |
| process. All the cars would fit to one template, and | | | | Frank Kerr for a questionable violation. |
| NASCAR would no longer need to adjust the fitting | | | | After considering Gordon's appeal, NASCAR |
| multiple times before each race. NASCAR chairman | | | | reinstated both the driver and owner points but |
| and CEO Brian France also promised to make the | | | | added to the original fine. Everything was okay, but it |
| rules clearer, or at least less confusing in 2008. | | | | wasn't okay. |
| So far, the sanctioning body's new methods are | | | | In Edwards' case, there have been numerous |
| making things more difficult. Along with pre- and | | | | instances where penalties for rollaway tires were |
| post-race scrutiny there are multiple penalties and | | | | enforced no matter the cause, leaving some to |
| fines, and suspensions are being levied nonstop, | | | | wonder if Edwards was given special treatment at |
| drawing media attention away from the races as | | | | Las Vegas. Had he been Robby Gordon, would he |
| never before. | | | | have been sent to the rear? It's a fair question. |
| Last season NASCAR lowered the boom on teams | | | | Edwards won the UAW-Dodge 400 even though his |
| that tampered with the COT in the smallest way, | | | | car was not, as it turned out, up-to-standard. The No. |
| issuing harsh penalties for even the slightest | | | | 99 Ford passed post-race inspection according to |
| infraction. Most of the failed inspections concerned | | | | NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston, yet Edwards |
| altered parts and additions that did nothing to boost | | | | was docked 100 driver points because the lid to his |
| the car's performance. Uniformity was all the rage, | | | | car's oil tank was missing. An open oil tank allows |
| and there were no exceptions. | | | | better airflow and reduces the normal amount of |
| There seems to be more ambiguity this year. At Las | | | | drag-a decided advantage during a high speed race. |
| Vegas, Carl Edwards had a runaway tire during a key | | | | He was allowed to keep the win, but not his brief |
| pit stop in the late stages of his March 2 win. Instead | | | | lead in the driver standings. Had NASCAR taken away |
| of giving Edwards the usual one-lap penalty, NASCAR | | | | his Vegas win, runner-up Dale Earnhardt Jr. would be |
| forgave the mishap. A TV cameraman had interfered | | | | handed a roundabout victory, his first in nearly two |
| with a crew member and caused a wheel to roll off | | | | years but an anticlimax with no fanfare for the |
| on pit road, where it could have obstructed another | | | | sport's top figure. |
| pit crew or caused a wreck. Edwards was allowed to | | | | In the likely event that Edwards qualifies for the |
| restart in third position because it wasn't his team's | | | | 2008 Chase, he won't get the 10 bonus points |
| fault, although the cameraman was where he should | | | | awarded for each win and used for determining the |
| have been and is not responsible for loose equipment. | | | | Chase's seeding order. |
| Robby Gordon applied similar logic when his team | | | | NASCAR's unofficial policy on not reversing wins has |
| installed a wrong front bumper cover prior to the | | | | been consistent through the years; although Lee |
| Daytona 500. The prototype nose came straight | | | | Petty was declared by panel to be the first Daytona |
| from the Dodge warehouse, fit the inspection | | | | 500 winner in 1959 three days after Johnny |
| template, never made it to the track and would not | | | | Beauchamp had celebrated in Victory Lane. There is |
| have helped the No. 7 Dodge go faster. And it wasn't | | | | precedent. |