Long's Cup ban cut to 8 races; $200K fine stays

[24n48fan]

Long still accountable for fine

By David Newton
ESPN.com
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Sprint Cup driver Carl Long had his 12-race suspension reduced to eight, but his record $200,000 fine remained after a final appeal to NASCAR Stock Car Racing commissioner Charles Strang.

Strang heard Long's appeal, which was denied two weeks ago by the stock car commission, on Monday in Chicago.

"The simple part of it means NASCAR don't care who you are or what your circumstances are," Long told ESPN.com.

Long was penalized for having an oversized engine at Lowe's Motor Speedway last month. He and his wife, car owner DeeDee Long, were suspended 12 races and docked 200 points. Crew chief Charles Swing was fined $200,000.

All are NASCAR-record penalties.

Long appealed in hopes of leniency for his underfunded, part-time team, arguing neither his crew chief nor he had the resources to pay such a heavy fine. The commission isolated the suspension to the Cup series instead of all series, but that wasn't the result Long had hoped for, so he went back to Strang.

Long said he doesn't know how he will pay the fine.

"I suppose I will stand in front of the racetrack with my helmet and beg for change," he said.

More than $16,000 has been donated to Long's cause on his Web site.

"That's still a long way from $200,000," Long said.

Long said the only way he can drive now is for another team until the fine is paid. He also is concerned with getting his license back in good standing.

Long bought the engine from longtime builder Ernie Elliott and said all of the paperwork showed it was within NASCAR specifications. It malfunctioned May 15 during practice for the All-Star race, prompting NASCAR's inspection.

Long argued that had he believed the engine was illegal, he could have gone home instead of turning the engine over to inspectors and trying to qualify for the non-points race with a backup motor.

The engine was 0.17 cubic inches more than the legal limit.

Long said the infraction may have been due to an error on the part of the engine builder, expansion due to overheating or general wear and tear.

The commission sided with NASCAR, saying the race team is ultimately responsible for all components on the race car, including any supplied by third-party vendors.

Carl Long's 12-race NASCAR suspension reduced to 8 races - ESPN

[24n48fan]

I'm happy to see his suspension get reduced. However, I think they should have cut his fine in half at least. At least he can get back on the track sooner which is better than nothing at all.

[Scooters]

"The simple part of it means NASCAR don't care who you are or what your circumstances are," Long told ESPN.com. Well, duhhhh

NASCAR is not a charity, it is a business.

Would Mr. Long prefer that penalties get assessed by financial circumstances rather than severity of offense?

Somebody posted somewhere (not here - our folks aren't that ditzy) that the measurement could have been off because of a worn caliper. It was all I could do to not thoroughly embarrass that poor soul - I figured he'd embarrassed himself enough.

[24n48fan]

NASCAR is a business, I get that. However, NASCAR knows that unless you're a Hendrick or Childress or a Gibbs that no one can afford to pay a $200,000 fine. NASCAR is just being STUPID! Carl Long didn't diliberately try to gain an unfair advantage. NASCAR just wanted to throw its weight around and they did a fantastic job of doing just that.

[Scooters]

Originally Posted by 24n48fan NASCAR is a business, I get that. However, NASCAR knows that unless you're a Hendrick or Childress or a Gibbs that no one can afford to pay a $200,000 fine. NASCAR is just being STUPID! Carl Long didn't diliberately try to gain an unfair advantage. NASCAR just wanted to throw its weight around and they did a fantastic job of doing just that.

NASCAR isn't being stupid! NASCAR is being fair! How can one team or person expect special treatment? For the sake of argument, lets say that a Hendrick, Childress or Gibbs team had the same issue ... should they pay a larger fine than a less financially endowed stable BECAUSE they can?

I have to shop at T. J. Maxx because I can't afford Saks Fifth Avenue. Is that unfair?

And deliberate or not, rules is rules. Whether or not the extra sizing was accidental on the part of the engine builder or whether or not a little tweaking was done back at the shop... SOMEBODY fell down on the job. And as for it being only .17; that was over and above the allowance already built into the rule (kind of like pit road speed).

If the fine of $200,000 was for a crooked hood, I'd probably agree with you but the Sacred Triad of engine, tires, fuel is nothing to take chances with.

[24n48fan]

NASCAR is being fair? ROFLMAOAY!!!! How in the heck is imposing a $200K fine being fair? Especially on a small budget team? Sorry Scooters but your post is a freaking joke! Just like NASCAR's sanctioning body is a freaking joke. Actually they've been a joke since Brian France took over. He's a freaking joke too. Might as well say that NASCAR broke the bank for Carl Long's racing business. $200k is ridiculous. I can see $100k fine for an oversized engine but $200k? HAHAHAHAHA! NASCAR is a laughing stock!

And furthermore, even if it had been one of the bigger teams that COULD afford to pay a hefty fine of $200k, I'd still think it was ridiculous. This is just a classic example of somebody with alot of power throwing his/her weight around.

Personally, I think your post is nothing more than a slam at Carl Long and other smaller teams. Carl Long isn't even one of my favorite drivers and I'm DEFENDING HIM!

[Schwartz Fan]

Scooters slamming smaller teams???? Knowing who her favorite driver is...can you honestly say you believe that????? Wow, that's the most rediculous thing I've ever read.....LMFAO!!!!!!!

[Schwartz Fan]

Originally Posted by Scooters NASCAR isn't being stupid! NASCAR is being fair! How can one team or person expect special treatment? For the sake of argument, lets say that a Hendrick, Childress or Gibbs team had the same issue ... should they pay a larger fine than a less financially endowed stable BECAUSE they can? I have to shop at T. J. Maxx because I can't afford Saks Fifth Avenue. Is that unfair? And deliberate or not, rules is rules. Whether or not the extra sizing was accidental on the part of the engine builder or whether or not a little tweaking was done back at the shop... SOMEBODY fell down on the job. And as for it being only .17; that was over and above the allowance already built into the rule (kind of like pit road speed). If the fine of $200,000 was for a crooked hood, I'd probably agree with you but the Sacred Triad of engine, tires, fuel is nothing to take chances with.

Spot on all the way, If the rule is good for one then it's good for the other......If they didn't hold Long's team to the same standard as the other teams they would have nothing but chaos......The engine has always a big no-no just ask Richard Petty....

[Scooters]

Originally Posted by 24n48fan NASCAR is being fair? ROFLMAOAY!!!! How in the heck is imposing a $200K fine being fair? Especially on a small budget team? Sorry Scooters but your post is a freaking joke! Just like NASCAR's sanctioning body is a freaking joke. Actually they've been a joke since Brian France took over. He's a freaking joke too. Might as well say that NASCAR broke the bank for Carl Long's racing business. $200k is ridiculous. I can see $100k fine for an oversized engine but $200k? HAHAHAHAHA! NASCAR is a laughing stock! And furthermore, even if it had been one of the bigger teams that COULD afford to pay a hefty fine of $200k, I'd still think it was ridiculous. This is just a classic example of somebody with alot of power throwing his/her weight around. Personally, I think your post is nothing more than a slam at Carl Long and other smaller teams. Carl Long isn't even one of my favorite drivers and I'm DEFENDING HIM!

A slam at Carl Long? The only thing I'm slamming is the attitude that he should be treated special 'cause he ain't got much money. Pfffft. That, my friend, is Communism.

[greg]

@ Scooters and Schwartz Fan as a preface I hope you will not take my strong disagreement as a personal attack. Your contributions to RacingNascar is far greater than my few comments, and I want you to know I do respect you. Futhermore I am only reference your thought as starting point to address the bigger issue.

I also apologize for not using quotes, I am posting with a simple mobile smartphone.


I just disagree very strongly with your idea that giving Carl Long any special consideration would further compromise Nascar or regulate them to communist mindset.


So many angles for rejection, it is even hard to pick a starting point. Nascar has been run like a dictatorship with special rules almost from the start.
It in no way shape of form resembles a purist or fair competition business model.


The word stock car should be a big hint, we don't see the best Ford, Chevy,Dodge, or Toyota win. We see the team and car who made the most of the rule package.
If a certain brand wins to much, and another doesn't the rules are adjusted not to reward the best engineered brand, but to insure business remains good. It is already run like communism, the end justifies the means, which is all about keeping the France commissar happy.


The same goes for the 35 provisional racket. It insures corporate suites don't their get panties a bunch on Sundays. A faster car can be sent home, to insure that an overpaid pretender competitor gets to act like he is worthy on Sunday.
If that twisted insult doesn't protect the privileged enough to get him in, then a team owner can pimp a used up point champion's almost guaranteed status.


The whole system is pitted against a Carl Long, the sponsors will gravitate to a used up champ, because an owner can sell his current pseudo ability, with the guaranteed spot. Nascar had said screw you to the Nemechecks, the Longs etc..... Long before Long was the issue.


In addition the penalty on Petty was a direct result of a (Maurice) Petty in house built engine. They also cheated with running all left tires at Charlotte, which if memory serves me correctly meant they also had softer tires on the right side of the car then the competition.


They flagrantly stole the race from Waltrip who had been more dominant prior, with the late tire set in addition to the already cheated up motor. It was blatant, and Maurice told Richard about the infractions before Nascar did, it only is similar in that a rule was broken in the absolute technical sense ( and I was and still am Petty fan going back to my first race, I wouldn't make this up), and they still have the 'W in the record books.


Nascar isn't heart and soul spirit of competition. It is business that just sees Long as unneeded 'Riff Raff' so he will not be granted any exceptions that others are given on a routine basis. His type was great in the 70s, but we don't need you any more, go away we have outgrown you.



While it isn't sensible, I can relate to Long, I have raced cars that I had a signature loan on, I also have raced engines that I had a $ 5000 balance on the Visa card riding along with it as well.



I am no Earnhardt but I think I know how he felt in the 70s when there was no money, and creditors to pay. When they reject Long they are also rejecting a 70ish Dale as well.


When the car companies, and sponsors go through the bad bye bye times ,Riff Raffs like Long will still be the believers and the ones chasing the dream.


I think the Nascar officials who are disrespecting Long now are bunch of disgusting parasite maggots. Mentally I want to spit on them, they are despicable, and short of injury or tragedy I hope they will have miserable day to match their existence.


Last of all I have no problem busting a Mayfeild were stupid disregard was the issue. But Long is just a guy who has had to race hand me down stuff his whole life. He didn't have the personal to check out the engine prior, he was acting in good faith and deserves more respect.