Full Throttle

NASCAR history has many pages of its history filed will tales of cheating. Smokey Yunick called it “creative use of the rulebook.” As an owner, Junior Johnson was known for cars that teetered on the legal edge. Richard Petty’s philosophy was “cheat neat.” Darrell Waltrip was nabbed during qualifying for the 1976 Daytona 500 for using nitrous oxide, the substance that drivers of today’s tuner cars squirt for speed bursts.

Tom Jenkins even wrote a book about the practice called “Cheating.”

As NASCAR returns this week to it’s roots and the Bristol Motor Speedway another page is written in NASCAR’s cheating history.

Two members of Reed Sorenson’s crew were thrown out of Bristol Motor Speedway on Friday after NASCAR officials caught the Busch team rubbing an unapproved substance on its tires.

Brian Pattie, crew chief for the No. 41 Dodge, and team member Brian Stafford were removed from track property and not allowed to participate in Friday night’s Busch race.

As yet there is no word on what was used but the practice of “soaking tires” also has a long history, for both pavement and dirt racers. The practice was so prevalent in the Featherlite Modified Tour Series a few years ago the sanctioning body mandated all tires be purchased from the tire truck for each event..

For good reason it is illegal at all levels of NASCAR. Dependent on the chemical used it can adversely effect the tire compound in ways that compromise safety. It’s a little disconcerting that Pattie and Stafford would chose Bristol to resurrect tire soaking. Despite it’s diminutive size Bristol produces high cornering speeds and heavy traffic. Not the best scenario for a chemical weakened tire to suddenly deflate.

It will be sometime next week before penalties are announced but I suspect Sorenson will escape unscathed, save the rear of the field start, and both Pattie and Stafford will be fined and suspended. Sorenson’s Rookie of the Year bid shouldn’t be effected, as those points are compiled separate from Series points.

NASCAR, Auto Racing, Busch Series