Truex out and Newman in

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) -- Ryan Newman is replacing Martin Truex Jr. in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship as part of NASCAR'S penalties against Michael Waltrip Racing for manipulating the outcome of last weekend's race at Richmond.

Two independent people familiar with the situation described the penalties to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because NASCAR had yet to announce its decision. The governing body had scheduled a news conference for Monday night.

Michael Waltrip Racing has been fined $300,000, and general manager Ty Norris is suspended indefinitely. Truex, Clint Bowyer and Brian Vickers have been docked 50 points apiece.

Newman was leading with seven laps remaining Saturday night at Richmond, where a victory would have given him the final spot in the 12-driver Chase field. But Bowyer spun and out came a caution, setting in motion a chain of events that ultimately led to Newman losing the race and Bowyer teammate Truex earning the final Chase berth.

While examining the situation, NASCAR reviewed communication between Bowyer and his Michael Waltrip Racing crew that seemed to indicate the spin was deliberate, as well as additional evidence that suggested MWR had Bowyer and Vickers take a dive over the final three laps so Joey Logano would knock Gordon out of Chase contention in yet another attempt to help Truex.

Bowyer has denied he intentionally spun and Truex was an unwitting participant. There's been silence from MWR officials, manufacturer Toyota and sponsors 5-Hour Energy (Bowyer) and NAPA Auto Parts (Truex), which pay millions to fund the race programs and likely owe MWR bonuses for each driver making the Chase.

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by J.R. Sands on September 10, 2013 at 10:17pm

IMO Dale Jr. spoke the truth and sold me. If you listen to the interview, Dale almost starts to laugh.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by J_Gled on September 10, 2013 at 2:12pm

Na na na na napa knows how | napa knows how ... TO CHEAT

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by J.R. Sands on September 10, 2013 at 10:15pm

Car owner Michael Waltrip said that there was no plan to ensure that Martin Truex Jr. made the Chase last weekend at Richmond, but admits he might have made some similar decisions.

Waltrip spoke Tuesday to "Race Hub" on FOX Sports 1, which also employs him. His interview came a day after NASCAR’s penalties knocked Truex out of the Chase, allowing Ryan Newman to make it in. NASCAR penalized each of MWR’s teams for a series of actions late in the race. It started with Clint Bowyer spinning and purposely losing two laps. It continued with Ty Norris, the team’s general manager, ordering Brian Vickers to pit to give up positions.

Pitting Bowyer and Vickers helped Joey Logano pass both and gain enough points to clinch a top-10 spot in the Chase. That helped Truex clinch a Wild Card spot. Truex beat Newman on a tiebreaker for the final Wild Card.

Waltrip defended his organization Tuesday in the "Race Hub" interview.

"We’re not immoral, we’re not irresponsible," he said. "The decisions were made just based on circumstances. As we look back, obviously, we would have been smarter and done things differently had we had that option.

"What the penalties were for (was Vickers) coming down pit road to give up a spot that enabled (Truex) to make the Chase. It was impossible to defend because we did it. The caution was out and Ty was looking at the numbers and it’s like, 'Pit, pit ... we need that position,' so we pitted.

"I don’t know if I would have done it any differently. We’ve seen people give up positions all the time in this sport to give a teammate a point. It happens. We’ve seen the leader pull over so another guy can lead. I would have screwed that one up, too."

NASCAR President Mike Helton said Monday that Michael Waltrip Racing was being penalized for the "preponderance of things that happened" in the final laps at Richmond. Helton and series officials met with Waltrip and Norris before determining the penalties, which included an indefinite suspension for Norris and a $300,000 fine to MWR.

"We learned," Waltrip said. "We’re a young organization. As things developed, we understood where we stood and we knew that we needed that point. We didn’t have this complex plan about how we were going to manipulate the race to get Martin in."

Asked if Bowyer intentionally spun - Bowyer has repeatedly denied that, Waltrip defended his driver.

"You saw the video, you heard the audio," Waltrip told FOX Sports 1. "I stand by my driver."

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jason on September 11, 2013 at 12:01am

what he meant to say is I would have taken bowyer and truex out sooner If I knew we would have gotten caught. That said I think I would have done the same thing any of us would have. That's the problem with the system.You race to make the chase.... you do what you can to get in. Your lying to your self if you are a team owner and your going to let your driver miss the chase if you don't pit.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Rob Hoban on September 11, 2013 at 12:09pm

Not defending Team POS, but this is not the first time teams did what the can to manipulate a season result:

At Atlanta in 1995 for the season finale, Hendrick Motorsports entered a 4th car just for this race just in case the unforeseen were to hit Gordon's car (needed to finish 41st or better to win the Winston Cup). If problems were to befall Gordon's car, the car would immediately pull off the track and retire from the race.

Imagine if something DID happen to Jeff Gordon's car that day and Hendrick ordered Pervis to come in to deny Earnhardt of another title? Sorry, but a team does what a team needs to do. The other Gordon can bitch all he wants but his owner was prepard to do the same thing 12 years ago. NASCAR allowed it then and they shouldn't have penalized Team POS for doing what they had to do to get their teams in the Chase.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mike Kenyon on September 11, 2013 at 3:12pm

Hendrick's secured the championship ethically. (It's painful to say that about Rick) Making sure your driver doesn't finish last is way different than what MWR did,IMO
I'd say the MWR deal is more like point shaving in basketball.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Rob Hoban on September 12, 2013 at 8:52am

Not saying that any of it is right, but if you can justify what Hendrick was prepared to do in 1995, how can you criticize what happened last weekend?

Without being a "true" fan of any current driver in NASCAR, I am LOVING the drama. Not that Newman, Logano, Truex or Jeff Gordon have a real chance of winning the Chase, but I can certanly understand the desire to make the Chase and bring exposure to their sponsors. Looks like it is going to backfire on MWR and all of NASCAR.

NAPA and 5 Hour Energy probably aren't the only sponsors rethiniking how to spend their marketing budget.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jim Schmitt on September 11, 2013 at 2:11pm

After all the hand wringing, what rule was broken that there should be penalties? typical NASCAR stuff with abiguity in regards to the rules.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by mj on September 11, 2013 at 4:38pm

Now NASCRAP is looking at Joey Lagano saying he had improper communications that helped him get I'm the chase too . Guess they asked the 38 to back up to let Joey pass them for his spot to gain enough points . From the audio it sounds like the 38 would get help in the future in exchange for the spot .

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by laura_a_Robbyfan on September 11, 2013 at 5:45pm

I have absolutely no problem with what Vickers did. I also don't give a rats arse about Bowyer spin intentional or not. I am sure that other teams in the past, current and in the future will "manipulate" their racing technique to their own advantage. It is no different then in the years past of start and parks game of chicken to see who was going to go out first and then all the bs excuses they claimed for being out of the race.

I can't begin to count the amount of times a driver comes on the radio spouting there is phantom debris on the track only because they would be the lucky dog or are in danger of going a lap down. The drivers are blatantly lying, should they be penalized, fine or called out? OR how about the amount of times a team mate will let the other team mate get the lead for the 5 bonus points?

Didn't Menard spin getting Harvick into the chase over Jeff Gordon in 2011?
Didn't Jimmie spin then stayed up on the track till the caution came out and gave Jeff Gordon the lucky dog in this last weeks race?

Just as I was typing this we know find out that Nascar is looking into Gilliland helping out Logano somehow.

The investigations (witch hunt) won't rest till Jeff Gordon gets into the chase. The money and power of Chevy/Hendrick!

Just my free thinking opinion!