Full Throttle

Illegal carburetor has ramifications(Free reg req’d):

Johnny Sauter’s race team is not alone in feeling the consequences from a rules violation in Saturday’s O’Reilly 300 Busch Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. A NASCAR official has lost his job over the incident, in which an unapproved carburetor was found on the No. 1 Dodge in postrace inspection.

The violation led to Sauter’s disqualification from a 14th-place finish and a four-race suspension for crew chief Joe Shear Jr.

NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said Wednesday he could not comment on personnel issues, but the Observer confirmed that Woody Neese is no longer employed as a Busch Series official and that his departure stems from the incident.

Neese did not check the carburetor initially, the Observer confirmed. He was involved in the postrace inspection.

Neese declined to comment.

Hunter said NASCAR has looked at how the carburetor got on a car that was impounded after Thursday’s qualifying.

Car owner James Finch could not be reached for comment Wednesday, but Tuesday he said on XM Radio that he would appeal the penalties. He also said the carburetor was inspected and sealed before qualifying.

“Everybody in our garage knows if you get caught with an illegal piece or part you’re going to face the consequences,” Hunter said. “It doesn’t matter how you slipped it by the inspectors.”

This incident preceeded a raging controversy that inflamed many of the NASCAR forums and a few blogs. (Rantville is an excellent example Disclaimer: Be forewarned, thread contains driver bias, team bias, misrepresentations and out right lies. It serves to illustrate the passions that this incident caused.)

This press release seems to raise as many questions as it answers. If Woody Neese has been fired over his post race inspection routine, and that appears to be the case, did he inspect the carburetor incorrectly? Did he actually perform his job correctly and found something that was missed in pre-race inspection?

Not being one that is quick to jump on every conspiracy I tend to believe Neese screwed up the post race inspection. If so that raises the largest question of all. Will Sauter’s results from the Texas Busch race be reinstated?