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Getty Images for NASCAR
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Greg Biffle will not be penalized for failing post-race inspection at Bristol Motor Speedway in NASCAR’s debut of the Car of Tomorrow.
NASCAR also on Wednesday said it planned to inform teams it will relax the tolerances on a height and weight requirement for the COT as the sanctioning body adjusts to reactions in the new car.
The rear of Biffle’s fifth-place car Ford was too low after the race — a violation that is normally found at Daytona and Talladega and typically warrants a penalty. But NASCAR is still adjusting to the COT and how it withstands race conditions.
NASCAR officials studied Biffle’s Ford earlier this week, and determined that the rear of the car had settled because of normal wear and tear.
Robin Pemberton, NASCAR’s vice president of competition, and John Darby, the Nextel Cup director, scheduled a news conference for Friday morning at Martinsville Speedway to discuss their findings.
NASCAR opened this season by doling out several stiff penalties — including the suspension of six team members for five different teams — for violations discovered during Daytona 500 preparations. So in not penalizing Biffle and Roush-Fenway Racing, NASCAR could be subjected to claims of double-standards.
The difference, though, is that the COT is still a work in progress and NASCAR may make slight adjustments depending on its findings over the next few COT races.
The car will be used again this weekend at Martinsville, and NASCAR is considering increasing the number of cars it inspects after the race. Eight cars were inspected after Bristol and two — Biffle’s and race-winner Kyle Busch’s — were sent back to the R&D center in Concord for further analysis.
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Based on the findings, NASCAR is raising the minimum weight balance on the right side of the cars from 1,650 lbs. to 1,700. And, the post-race minimum height is being expanded slightly before this weekend’s race.
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