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SPORTS Friday 9 November 2018

NASCAR's culture of cheating unmasked during playoffs

By JENNA FRYER Harvick penalty because
AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — of mounting criticism about
The credo in NASCAR the severity of his punish-
has always been "If you ment. Not only did Harvick
ain't cheatin', you ain't lose his spot in the final
tryin'," and that has never four at Homestead-Miami
changed despite series ef- Speedway, but he must
fort to keep things on the race the final two weeks of
up-and-up. the season without his crew
Now that culture has resur- chief and car chief.
faced again and at a most Scott Miller, NASCAR's se-
inopportune time for the nior vice president of com-
beleaguered series. petition, said he felt SHR
There is one race to go to took the notion of pushing
set the championship field, boundaries and exploring
Sunday in Phoenix, and star technology "into borderline
driver Kevin Harvick has ridiculous territory."
been snared in the latest With the stakes so high
scandal. NASCAR found this weekend at Phoenix,
Harvick had an illegal where seven drivers will by
race-winning car — his sec- vying for three open spots
ond of the season — after in the championship race,
his victory at Texas Motor NASCAR will check spoilers
Speedway earned him an at the track.
automatic berth in the Nov. "It's unfortunate that now
18 title race in Florida. we'll be pulling spoilers off
The issue was with a spoiler and having to do another In this Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018, file photo, Kevin Harvick (4) passes David Starr (97) during the NAS-
that had been modified to inspection when the teams CAR Cup auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas.
give Harvick an aerody- should really be bringing le- Associated Press
namic advantage as he gal cars to the race track,"
dominated and won for a Miller said. and Aric Almirola — is still good in five minutes and play this cat-and-mouse
Cup Series-high eighth time SHR has not challenged eligible for the title race. we can in three hours at game with the teams all
this season. Just how much NASCAR's cheating allega- It wasn't just SHR last week- the R&D Center is a bit un- the time," Miller said.
of an advantage Harvick tion. The team said it would end, either. NASCAR took realistic." What happens if a car
had is irrelevant: The levels not appeal the penalty three cars back to its R&D The last big scandal in NAS- fails inspection after win-
of deceit NASCAR believes and vice president of com- Center after Texas and all CAR was in 2013, when ning the title? It wasn't until
Stewart-Haas Racing went petition Greg Zipadelli said three failed teardown in- Michael Waltrip Racing Wednesday morning, long
to were so devious the in- in a statement "NASCAR spections. Ryan Blaney's manipulated the finish of a after Sunday's race, that
tent can't be questioned. determined we ventured team was punished and so race at Richmond to try to NASCAR revealed Harvick's
Once NASCAR had the car into an area not accom- was the team for Erik Jones. get Martin Truex Jr. into the car had failed inspection.
back from Texas and in its modated by its rule book." If the only three cars in- playoffs. It led to a larger Miller vowed intense scru-
Research and Develop- The team has not made spected failed, what about NASCAR investigation that tiny on the four champi-
ment Center, the spoiler any members available the other 37 cars in Sun- uncovered at least one onship-contending cars
was removed and deter- for comment, and Harvick day's field? other case of race manipu- at Homestead, and said
mined not to be the part is not scheduled to speak "We certainly can't bring lation. the post-race procedure
supplied by the vendor. to the media at Phoenix, the 40-car field back to The latest scandal may be is similar to the Daytona
Instead, NASCAR believes where he is a nine-time R&D," Miller said, elabo- the tipping point for a re- 500, where engines are ex-
SHR made its own spoiler, winner. One of his victories rating on how issues get vamped penalty system amined at the track after
passed it off as one from came in the spring, part of missed at the track. "We're next season. Miller said the the race. "Knowing that so
the mandatory vendor and a three-race winning streak under time constraints at sanctioning body will look much is on the line, we can
used it to help Harvick win. marred by an illegal car at the race track to do these during the offseason at concentrate on those cars
The details were unveiled Las Vegas one week ear- inspections. We have small tougher penalties if a team a little bit more than we
late Wednesday, 10 hours lier. windows and tight win- that can't even pass the can the 40-car field during
after Harvick's spot in the The latest infraction raises dows to get the inspections first round of inspection. the regular season," Miller
finale was revoked. NAS- questions about whether done, and we might spend "We realize that we kind said. "So we'll just ramp up
CAR has for several years SHR has "ventured into an in the neighborhood of five of probably need to ramp the intensity of keeping
refused to give specifics area not accommodated" minutes with each of the up the severity of what people with eyes on those
about infractions — keep- by NASCAR's rulebook with 40 cars for the three-hour goes on at the race track, cars throughout the week-
ing secret ideas on how its other drivers. Its entire window that we have for and we're hoping that we end and scrutinize those
to game the system — but four-car lineup — Harvick, inspection. To think that can change the culture to cars heavily, both before
reversed course on the Kurt Busch, Clint Bowyer we can scrutinize a car as where we don't have to and after the race."q