NASCAR driver suspensions

Jimmy Spencer, co-host of SPEED Channel's NASCAR This Morning, reported on Atlanta's Nextel Cup driver meeting. It was a really important drivers meeting, and (NASCAR president) Mike Helton talked about fitting in the box. In '01 and '02, they escalated the fines to just money. Then it was not enough. And then at Dover in June (last year), he warned it would escalate higher in reaction to the points. One month later, they issued money and points. Today, with what happened last week at Vegas, Mike says that's it. What (NASCAR's) going to do, he's heard about all of the car owners and crew chiefs talking this stuff, the car has to fit in the box. Don't make (NASCAR) react. "What I wanted to do today was to address you, as we have in the past, to give you the heads up that NASCAR will do whatever it feels like it has to do to maintain the confidence of everybody in the garage that everyone is playing on the same playing field," Helton said. "Whether it's intentional or whether it's not intentional, there is a box that you have to fit in, and it's our responsibility to react when it doesn't work right. My assumption of what he said is, "Boys, you could be missing a week. Maybe more." FoxSports/Speed Channel