NASCAR Fines Crew Chief

NASCAR officials on Monday announced they fined Randy Goss, crew chief for Greg Biffle's Roush Racing entry, $48,860 following last week's Craftsman Truck Series race in Las Vegas.

The penalty, the difference between first and 36th place money in last Friday's The Orleans 250 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, was the result of an unapproved intake manifold found by officials in a post-race inspection of the Ford truck in which series-leader Biffle won his record ninth race of the season.

NASCAR said the team will retain the race victory but will also be fined 120 championship points, the difference between first and 36th places. That leaves Biffle with only a 10-point margin over Jack Sprague, second in the race and a runner-up in the season standings.

Goss' actions were deemed in violation of Section 12, Rule 4, Article A and Article Q in the 1999 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Rule Book: actions detrimental to automobile racing, and: use of parts that do not conform to NASCAR rules, respectively.

Geoff Smith, president of Roush Racing, said he planned to file an appeal on Tuesday.

"And, we intend to vigorously pursue the appeal after it is filed. All competent evidence will show in a compelling way that the intake manifold was submitted to NASCAR for inspection prior to its first use in competition, and has been subsequently submitted for inspection on numerous other occasions."

"At all times and under all circumstances the part was approved following each inspection by the appropriately authorized NASCAR official."

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