Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 2, 1995 TAG: 9506020071
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-13 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB ZELLER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Evernham and Jimmy Johnson, Hendrick's motorsports general manager, also were not talking. ``I'm not going to make any comment. I might get in trouble,'' Johnson said.
All questions were referred to a Hendrick publicist, Dan Lowasser, at Muhleman Marketing, who said, ``We accept the fine and there will be no appeal.''
While NASCAR officials would only say they fined Evernham for using an unauthorized suspension part in the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Lowasser identified the part as a right-front wheel hub and said it violated NASCAR rules because it was too light.
``The part was not modified by our team,'' Lowasser said. ``It was a purchased part.''
Lowasser flatly denied reports the hub was made of titanium, a lighter metal than steel. ``I do know there was not any use of alloy or lightweight material,'' he said.
When asked if the hub had anything to do with possible use of a traction-control system, Lowasser said, ``The only advantage, if there was any advantage, was that it was a lighter-than-standard wheel hub.''
The advantage with lighter wheel parts, as long as they are significantly lighter, is that they take a load off the springs and shocks, thus allowing the car to run more efficiently and faster through the turns.
Lowasser also said the unauthorized wheel hub was not related to the mechanical failure in Gordon's right-front wheel during the 600. That failure prompted NASCAR officials to closely inspect the wheel.
But NASCAR's actions in the matter left a number of unanswered questions:
Why did NASCAR wait until late Tuesday afternoon to announce a violation that occurred Sunday?
Why was NASCAR unwilling to reveal the nature of the unauthorized part? And why the secrecy for this particular case?
On what basis did NASCAR decide the violation was serious enough to merit a record fine?
Stay tuned.
ON THE SURFACE: The white cliffs of Dover Downs International Speedway are next on the schedule, and Michael Waltrip, for one, is not looking forward to the weekend, even as he praised the track's new concrete surface.
Waltrip, who tested there in April, said, ``Quite frankly, I was very surprised at the job they did. The only [other] concrete job I know is Bristol, and it's absolutely terrible. At Dover, so far, the only compliment I can make is it's not rough.
``It's really smooth and they did a good job on it, but why anybody would elect to put concrete on a race track is beyond me.''
by CNB