| MRN's Morning Driver Thursday | | Print | |
| Written by Robert Trammell |
| Friday, 31 October 2008 08:21 |
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FORMER NASCAR TEAM OWNER INDICTED The Bristol, Tennessee, Herald Courier is reporting that Larry McClure, general manager of Abingdon, Virginia-based Morgan-McClure Motorsports, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges relating to wire fraud, mail fraud and violations of federal tax laws. Central to the indictment are claims by the Internal Revenus Service that tax returns filed from 2002-2004 omitted several large payments from an unidentified Florida man who leased racecars from MMM to enter in ARCA races. Morgan-McClure Motorsports won fourteen Nascar Sprint Cup Series races in the 1990s, including Daytona 500 victories with Sterling Marlin and Ernie Irvan. The organization is no longer active in Sprint Cup Series competition. If convicted on all counts, McClure could face 115 years in prison and up to 2.75 million dollars in fines. TWO NATIONWIDE SERIES CREW CHIEFS PENALIZES Nascar has fined and placed on probation two Nationwide Series crew chiefs for rules violations last weekend at Memphis Motorsports Park. Chris Rice, crew chief for Kenny Wallace, was fined eleven thousand dollars and placed on probation until December 31st. He was found to be in violation of five different sections of the Nascar Rulebook, including issues with fuel cell safety foam and rear coil springs. Jimmy Means, crew chief for Brad Teague, was fined six thousand dollars and put on probation until December 31st for carburetor and brake caliper irregularities that were found in pre-race inspection. POINTS BREAKDOWN With the top thirty-five teams in Nascar Sprint Cup Series car owner points guaranteed starting positions each week, some drivers and crew chiefs are as interested in the number-35 spot as they are in the top tier of the standings. Red Bull Racing (driver Scott Speed) currently holds that position entering this weekend's Dickies 500. Michael Waltrip Racing (car number-47) and Penske Racing (number-77) are in pursuit - trailing by eighty and 130 points, respectively. Jimmie Johnson leads the Chase fot the Sprint Cup, 183 points ahead of Carl Edwards and 185 in front of Greg Biffle after seven races. Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick complete the top five. |
