Kyle Petty is rapidly becoming my favorite NASCAR TV commentator.
On Saturday's post NASCAR practice coverage one of the many subjects discussed was, of course, the rules violations found on the cars of Jeff Gordon and Jimmy Johnson.
Kyle made point that Chad Knauss was being aggressive and pushing the envelope, trying to get an edge and that that was GOOD. You want your crew chief to do just that. The fact that NASCAR decided that what was done pushed said envelope too far, is part of the learning curve.
Later on the NASCAR Performance show, ON PIT ROW stars (I know but I like the sound of it) Larry McReynolds and Jeff Hammond took up the defense of crew chiefs everywhere, pleading the case for understanding and lenience in the absence of data on the CoTs. They interviewed Chad Knauss, who naturally was surprised and confused by NASCAR's move. The show could have been paid for by the Benevolent Brotherhood of Crew Chiefs.
The difference between Petty's points and those of the veteran crew commanders was that Kyle acknowledged that it appeared that the Hendrick Motorsports guys had pursued their innovations with a clear intent to push the rule book. This, he said, differed from the circumstances, at Darlington, that got Tony Eury Jr. suspended as that violation appeared to be unintentional.
The intent involved in the latest CoT rules test could net Hendrick Motorsports a heavier penalty.
So says Kyle the Good.
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