Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2004 | 9:44 a.m.
Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. His motor sports notebook appears Friday. He can be reached at [email protected] or (702) 259-4089.
The National Stock Car Racing Commission on Monday denied Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s appeal of the penalty he was assessed by NASCAR for swearing during a live television broadcast following his victory at Talladega Superspeedway on Oct. 3.
Earnhardt was fined $10,000 and was docked 25 points for the infraction and car owner Teresa Earnhardt also was penalized 25 owner points.
In announcing its unanimous decision, the three-member Commission noted that Earnhardt "is an important ambassador of the sport and a role model for young people. With the rewards and accolades afforded top-tier NASCAR drivers, also goes responsibility."
The Commission also said in a prepared statement that NASCAR officials had issued repeated warnings to drivers regarding the use of improper language during live radio and TV interviews and that "NASCAR has been consistent in assessing similar penalties for other recent, top-tier, 'language' infractions."
NASCAR earlier this season penalized Busch Series drivers Johnny Sauter and Ron Hornaday with the same $10,000 fine and loss of 25 championship points for using "improper language" during live interviews.
When NASCAR levied the penalty against Earnhardt on Oct. 5, it dropped him from first to second in the Nextel Cup standings. Las Vegas native Kurt Busch assumed the lead and continues to hold a 24-point edge over Earnhardt with five races remaining in the 2004 season.
Dale Earnhardt Inc. has the right to appeal the decision to the National Stock Car Racing commissioner but Richie Gilmore, DEI's director of motor sports, indicated last week that the team would accept the Commission's ruling. Brad Daugherty, David Hall and chairman George Silbermann heard Monday's appeal.
GAUGHAN FLAT: Brendan Gaughan's late-race accident with Jimmy Spencer, which also collected Nextel Cup contender Mark Martin, was the result of a flat tire on Gaughan's car.
"We had a tire going down," Gaughan, a Las Vegas native, said. "We had a right front going flat and I wasn't going to be able to make it in the pits and I was trying to get down out of the way and I thought I was on the bottom (of the track).
"It probably was my fault; maybe I didn't get far enough out of the way."
Martin was battling eventual race winner Jimmie Johnson for third place at the time he got caught up in Gaughan's and Spencer's spinning cars. He finished 13th with a badly damaged racecar and remained fifth in points, but lost 36 points to front-runner Busch in the standings.
REUTIMANN, LESTER OK: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series drivers David Reutimann and Bill Lester, who were involved in a violent crash during Saturday's race at Texas Motor Speedway, were released from a Fort Worth hospital Saturday evening after undergoing tests. Reutimann said he planned to race in Saturday's Truck Series event at Martinsville Speedway.
ATWOOD OUT: Casey Atwood has been relieved of driving duties for the No. 14 FitzBradshaw Racing Chevrolet in the NASCAR Busch Series, the team announced Monday.
Dave Blaney will drive the No. 14 Navy-sponsored car Saturday at Memphis Motorsports Park. Atwood was 13th in Busch Series points through 29 races. His best finish was second last month at Richmond International Raceway.
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