NASCAR finds magnets under pedals on 2 Gibbs cars

**9t8z28** · 08-17-2008, 04:44 PM

BROOKLYN, Mich. (AP) - The No. 18 and No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing teams in the Nationwide Series will likely face big penalties after efforts to alter the results of a chassis dyno test.

NASCAR inspectors, preparing to do tests on horsepower numbers following Saturday's Nationwide race at Michigan International Speedway, found magnets under the gas pedals on the two Gibbs Toyotas.

Tony Stewart, making his last Nationwide start for the Gibbs team, finished third in the No. 20, and 18-year-old rookie Joey Logano was seventh in the No. 18. The race was won by Carl Edwards in a Ford.

Toyota has won 15 of 25 races this season in Nationwide, and all but one came in a Camry fielded by Gibbs. The exception was JGR driver Kyle Busch's victory at Charlotte in May in a car fielded by Braun Racing.

In the face of such domination, last month NASCAR ordered the Toyota Nationwide teams to use a smaller spacer to cut about 15 horsepower in their motors.

The incident Saturday was apparently an effort to keep the current numbers from looking too strong in the latest test.

"In our post-race inspection - yesterday was the day we were going to chassis dyno cars - our inspectors discovered some shims that were placed on the gas pedal stop," Robin Pemberton, vice president of competition for NASCAR, said Sunday. "It was magnets that were about a quarter-inch thick that prevented the accelerator from going 100 percent wide open.

"The intention was to manipulate the numbers that we get when we get our information and data off the dyno."

Pemberton said NASCAR officials will meet Monday and Tuesday to determine what penalties will be handed out.

"I anticipate that we haven't seen the end of it yet," Pemberton said when asked if the penalties were likely to be severe. "We historically don't make our decisions within a 24-hour period. It takes time to get everybody in a group and talk about it."

J.D. Gibbs, son of owner Joe Gibbs and president of the team, said JGR takes full responsibility for the actions of its employees.

"Let me just say that, first and foremost, that that was a really poor, foolish decision on the part of our key guys there at JGR," Gibbs said. "I want to apologize to NASCAR, to our partners, to Toyota guys. A couple guys chose to make a decision there that really impacts all of us."

Gibbs said he was thankful that it was an off-track incident that did not involve racing and added that the big - and most frustrating - question is why was it done?

"I know they were probably frustrated from the standpoint that wanting to show that, 'Hey, we have less horsepower than ever before' and they wanted to make it look like we're handicapped even more than we actually were," Gibbs said. "I understand that, but that's not an excuse.

"For us, we kind of feel like, in the engine shop that's kind of a badge of honor. You win that engine dyno, good for you. That's kind of how we felt in the past few years and (chief engine builder) Mark Cronquist and those guys really feel like they want to win that thing.

"The way I look at it, to come back after you've been chopped, to come back and win it again, that's awesome," Gibbs noted. "That's a great story. That wasn't able to be told."

He said no matter what action NASCAR takes, the team will address the situation in-house.

"(We'll) figure out exactly what happened and those that were responsible," Gibbs said. "There's going to be punishment for that. That's just part of life. You can't do that."

In a statement released by the elder Gibbs, he echoed his son.

"If this alleged incident proves true, it goes against everything we stand for as an organization," the former Washington Redskins coach said. "We will take full responsibility and accept any penalties NASCAR levies against us."

Lee White, president of Toyota Racing Development, said the company is grateful that the team stepped up and took responsibility and made it clear Toyota was not involved.

"I found out about it halfway through the day session last night, when I went over there to see what was going on," White said. "I was surprised to see what was happening, and astonished and frankly incredulous. I couldn't believe it was happening because it's clearly defined in the entry forms that you don't do this sort of thing.

"But I'm sure Joe and J.D. will take care of that internally and, whatever fans think, they're going to think. We're just going to keep working on our stuff."

Pat Suhy, GM Racing group manager for NASCAR, said the actions by the Gibbs team raise more questions.

"It's not something that you like to hear about and you have to just question every chassis dyno that's ever been run on every Toyota," Suhy said. "You look at the (No.) 32 car (of Brian Vickers and Red Bull Racing), the 32 and the 18 and the 20 made about the same power the first run (on the dyno). When they took the magnet, or whatever this device was, out of the 18 and the 20, they both came up.

"What I don't know is if it's a Toyota problem, if it's a Joe Gibbs thing, how widespread is it and how long has it been going on, because a lot of what's been done (by NASCAR) has been based on the chassis dyno results. And, if they were always showing worse on the chassis dyno than actual, maybe (NASCAR) didn't go far enough.

"It's disappointing to hear that anybody, whether it's a manufacturer or a team or an individual on a team would go to any length to do that," Suhy added. "It's bad for the entire garage, I think."

Jack Roush, co-owner of Roush-Fenway Racing, which fields Fords in the Nationwide Series, called the Gibbs team's actions "extremely detrimental to stock car racing.

"NASCAR will figure out what they should," Roush said. "If they're going to make decisions based on parity, after they've given (Toyota) what they've given them with regard to parameters on their engine, based on flawed data that a team or the manufacturer, one of the other, had kited or shaved, that certainly is detrimental to my interests."
08/17/2008 16:59

**02cetransam** · 08-17-2008, 05:59 PM

man thats one hell of an inspection they do on those cars to find a little magnet.

**Zapper2003** · 08-17-2008, 06:01 PM

They should have just machined the pedals 'arm' a bit thicker rather than sticking something to it. Little less conspicuous.

**OreoLt1** · 08-17-2008, 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by Zapper2003

They should have just machined the pedals 'arm' a bit thicker rather than sticking something to it. Little less conspicuous.

I bet they would have gotten away with the remachining of the pedal arm! I mean if a trained inspection person you should spot that right away which they did.

How may inspection guys are actually going to measure the thickness of a pedal unless they suspect something!

Better luck next time.

**2MuchFun** · 08-17-2008, 07:10 PM

lol nascar is all about cheating........and not getting caught.

**FSANE** · 08-17-2008, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by Zapper2003

They should have just machined the pedals 'arm' a bit thicker rather than sticking something to it. Little less conspicuous.

Thats the whole point of the magnet. During testing/inspection, WOT is at 95%. During race day, remove the magnet and vola!!! 100% WOT.

**bodyman5000** · 08-17-2008, 09:47 PM

How about who gives a F@#?

Nascar is just an excuse for fat white women to eat funnel cakes once a week.

**9t8z28** · 08-18-2008, 04:55 AM

Originally Posted by bodyman5000

How about who gives a F@#?

Nascar is just an excuse for fat white women to eat funnel cakes once a week.

Your in the wrong thread. When you see Nascar in the title, don't click in it!

**2002WS6TransAmT56** · 08-18-2008, 05:37 AM

They are taking all the fun out of NASCAR, doiing stuff like that is the whole point. Whomever gets to the finish line first wins and how they d it is part of the fun.

**TNTramair** · 08-18-2008, 10:04 AM

everyone does it...it boils down to who the best is at hiding it.

***doberman 152*** · 08-18-2008, 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by 2002WS6TransAmT56

They are taking all the fun out of NASCAR, doiing stuff like that is the whole point. Whomever gets to the finish line first wins and how they d it is part of the fun.

Love the avatar brings back memories, like no restrictor plates and rubbing is racing

**FORD RECOVERY EXPERT** · 08-18-2008, 03:44 PM

Fuckin Toyota racers......

Cant stop gettin their asses in a crack.....

Nascar says:

**9t8z28** · 08-18-2008, 04:54 PM

The funny thing is that they planned this. They knew what that 1/4 magnet would do. That little bit kept that car from reaching peak power. How come they though Nascar was gonna miss this! Just wait until they yank that engine and test it. Dumbasses!!

**bodyman5000** · 08-18-2008, 08:50 PM

Originally Posted by 9t8z28

Your in the wrong thread. When you see Nascar in the title, don't click in it!

I can't, it is like trying not to look at a car accident on the way to work.

Every time I get a response from some redneck about Nascar I can't help but notice the lack of grammar skills in the thread. An example would be YOUR instead of you're.

A typo is generally when one typex the wrong letter by accident as I just did on purpose.

I am a stupid bodyman who inhales toxic dust all day and you're ignance amazes even me.

There is one thing about Nascar that mildly entertains me and that is the fact that a song by the old old old band Ratt pops into my head every time I think of this "racing" series. I am unsure of the title (pretty sure it is called Round and Round..duh) but the lyrics are as follows...

Round and round, what goes around comes around......I'll tell you why

Round and round, what goes around comes around.........Nascar should die.

Oops, might have got the words messed up there. Oh well.

**totalkos** · 08-18-2008, 09:01 PM

Originally Posted by bodyman5000

Round and round, what goes around comes around......I'll tell you why

Round and round, what goes around comes around.........Nascar should die.

Oops, might have got the words messed up there. Oh well.

**0rion** · 08-18-2008, 10:30 PM

Originally Posted by bodyman5000

I can't, it is like trying not to look at a car accident on the way to work.

Every time I get a response from some redneck about Nascar I can't help but notice the lack of grammar skills in the thread. An example would be YOUR instead of you're.

A typo is generally when one typex the wrong letter by accident as I just did on purpose.

I am a stupid bodyman who inhales toxic dust all day and you're ignance amazes even me.

There is one thing about Nascar that mildly entertains me and that is the fact that a song by the old old old band Ratt pops into my head every time I think of this "racing" series. I am unsure of the title (pretty sure it is called Round and Round..duh) but the lyrics are as follows...

Round and round, what goes around comes around......I'll tell you why

Round and round, what goes around comes around.........Nascar should die.

Oops, might have got the words messed up there. Oh well.

yeah, that's very bothersome. I'm sure you'll say you did that on purpose but we all know the truth.

**bluefields88** · 08-19-2008, 01:12 AM

NASCAR sucks.

**nhraformula** · 08-19-2008, 06:00 AM

Originally Posted by totalkos

typical nascar female fan

**nhraformula** · 08-19-2008, 06:01 AM

Originally Posted by bluefields88

NASCAR sucks.

i gotta agree. driving around in circles to me is quite the bore.

**9t8z28** · 08-19-2008, 06:18 AM

Originally Posted by bodyman5000

I can't, it is like trying not to look at a car accident on the way to work.

Every time I get a response from some redneck about Nascar I can't help but notice the lack of grammar skills in the thread. An example would be YOUR instead of you're.

A typo is generally when one typex the wrong letter by accident as I just did on purpose.

I am a stupid bodyman who inhales toxic dust all day and you're ignance amazes even me.

There is one thing about Nascar that mildly entertains me and that is the fact that a song by the old old old band Ratt pops into my head every time I think of this "racing" series. I am unsure of the title (pretty sure it is called Round and Round..duh) but the lyrics are as follows...

Round and round, what goes around comes around......I'll tell you why

Round and round, what goes around comes around.........Nascar should die.

Oops, might have got the words messed up there. Oh well.

So everytime Days of our Lives soap opera is on, you can't avoid it? Your such a girl!