>From NASCAR


Public Relations Office RELEASE APRIL 22, 1996

NASCAR WINSTON CUP NOTES OF INTEREST

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- NASCAR officials 
announced Monday they have levied a $5,000 time and a 
two-race suspension against Doug Hewitt, crew chief 
for the No. 30 Bahari Racing Pontiac team.

The penalty is a result of a small clutch, 
removed by officials from the sanctioning body from 
the Bahari car last Saturday at Martinsville. NASCAR 
requires a minimum clutch diameter of 7 1/4 inches. 
The clutch taken had a diameter of approximately 6 3/4 
inches.

The action violated Section 12, Rule 4, 
Article Q of the 1996 NASCAR Winston Cup Series 
(including NASCAR Winston West Series) Rule Book 
stating: Any determination by NASCAR officials that 
parts and/or equipment used in the Event do not 
conform to NASCAR rules or which leave not been 
approved by NASCAR prior to the Event or which are not 
required for the normal functional operation of the 
race car or safety items which have been altered to 
detract from or compromise their integrity or 
effectiveness: disallowance of qualifying times, 
withdrawal of the opportunity to qualify for the 
Event, and/or fine, and/or loss of finishing positions 
in the Event and/or suspension from NASCAR.

ALSO:

*** NASCAR Officials announced this past 
weekend they have approved modifications to the Ford 
'Thunderbird for competition in the NASCAR Winston Cup 
Series. The decision came after analyzing the data 
from a wind tunnel test last March after the Purolator 
500 in Atlanta, as well as considering options 
presented by Ford.

Through a technical bulletin, officials 
approved a reduction of an additional half inch the 
rear portion of the roof line on all Thunderbirds at 
tracks one mile longer. The exception will be road 
courses, Daytona International Speedway and Talladega 
Superspeedway.

The changes will become effective prior to The 
Winston Select all-star weekend at The Charlotte Motor 
Speedway May 17-19.





Jack Durbin                                   indy500@freenet.tlh.fl.us
Motorsport News International                      jackd@motorsport.com
(Moderators for "rec.autos.sport.info")
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