So much for not being so heavy handed with the penalties this year.

100 points dropped him to 40th in points. Why didn't they just take all the points away? That's just plain cruel.

It is a shame that Nascar would come down so hard on something that seems only to be a technicality. It certainly does not back up their plan to cut costs and help smaller teams. Just goes to show that as much as things change they stay the same. Inconsistencies before the first race of the year. Incredible.

But isn't 100 pts consistent with the points reductions given to those that received them for CoT infractions last year?

You can't complain about NASCAR inconsistency and be inconsistent in your position.

That said, it's my understanding no where in the Mythical Rulebook is a clause that mitigates or excuses for "intent."

The motivations behind why a rule was broken, intentional or inadvertent, isn't taken into account. The car was presented at tech-inspec with illegal parts.

End of story.

Robby's nose was wrongly provided to him in a last minute manufacturer change. Nascar states that the nose will be legal as soon as they approve it for the new body. They also note that the only difference between the noses is decal placement.

I'll retract my earlier statement where I said that it was an inconsistent penalty. It was a consistent penalty for COT violations, but this was an inconsistent crime. Dale Jr's team manufactured wing supports with different holes. Hendrick's team formed fenders that were outside the templates.

Robby's infraction was an oversight that would have fit all of the templates provided by Nascar. Not having worked with Dodges before, his body men might not have known the difference. Either way, he would have gained no competitive advantage with the "illegal" nose had it made it to the track.

And it is not the end of the story until the appeal is made final. The only place I have seen support for Nascar's penalty is here in this blog.

Junior's violations were also on the Nationwide car, not the Sprint car.

Robby had a good finish, too. He's another guy that doesn't fit the Nascar mold as a model driver. He just can't catch a break.