Knaus, Gustafson to compete while appealing
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- NASCAR crew chiefs Chad Knaus and Alan Gustafson will be allowed to compete in Atlanta this weekend while they appeal their two-race suspension.
Both were suspended on Tuesday for allegedly cheating at Las Vegas last weekend. Team owner Rick Hendrick appealed, and the National Stock Car Racing commission can't assemble until next week to hear their case, NASCAR officials said Wednesday.
Under NASCAR's rules, the crew chiefs can still compete until their appeal has been heard.
Todd Berrier was suspended for four races, but while that suspension remains under appeal also, Harvick's team has announced that Berrier will begin serving his suspension this week at Atlanta.
Scott Miller, chief engineer at RCR, will replace Berrier this weekend.
"We are going to miss not having Todd at the racetrack, but we have great guys on this team that have been together for a long time,'' Harvick said. "Everybody is excited to keep this momentum we have and we don't plan on letting it get away. The guys are very motivated right now."
Knaus, crew chief for Jimmie Johnson, was fined $35,000 and suspended two weeks when Johnson's race-winning car was too low in inspection. Johnson was also docked 25 points, which knocked him out of the points lead.
Gustafson was fined $25,000 and suspended for two weeks because runner-up Kyle Busch's car was too high in inspection. Busch was docked 25 points.
Berrier was fined $25,000 and suspended for four races because he illegally rigged Kevin Harvick's fuel tank to appear full when it wasn't, allowing the car to go faster. It had to be full under NASCAR rules during qualifying.
Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press
