Petty fined by Dodge

[mascott82]

Did you all see this? Not a good move in my opinion.

Petty fined in 2004 by Dodge: Kyle Petty did a favor for Richard Childress Racing and driver Kevin Harvick in 2004, and he paid $45,000 for it. Dodge fined Petty $45,000 when the veteran relieved Harvick in the Sharpie 500 at Bristol in August 2004. Harvick complained that he had lost feeling in his left arm and Petty, a Dodge driver, took over for Harvick in the RCR Chevrolet. Petty, whose car was already out of the race, did not have permission from Dodge to drive the Chevy, and Dodge promptly fined him for breaching their contract. Dodge didn't announce the fine, but it was revealed in depositions released during their recently completed trial involving Bill Davis Racing. "Initially it was a shock just because that's just a given in the sport - if a driver is down, everybody rallies and tries to help him out," Petty said Feb. 11. "Kevin was sick; Kevin felt bad, so I drove the car. When I got a phone call and a legal letter that said I owed them $45,000, that was a little bit of a shock. But at the same time, they were exactly right. I have a contract to drive for Dodge." Dodge Motorsports Director of Operations John Fernandez said Feb. 10 that he believed Petty's violation of their contract was inadvertent but that the manufacturer must protect the sanctity of its contracts.(NASCAR Scene)(2-15-2006)

[teflon74]

What a crock of BS, I would hope Dodge gave it back somehow thru sponsership. Hell they may have got an extra blurb or 2 out of it because the announcers said Petty and Dodge while he was driving a chev. I guess if the tables are turned they would rather have one of the Dodges parked because a rival can't drive it!!!! Teflon

[brogers93]

That's sad. It's that kind of corporate attitude that is killing the sport. If it wasn't for the Pettys, Dodge wouldn't have gotten back into NASCAR.

[Bo Duke]

so much for helping out each other for the good of the sport........

[aarcuda]

IMO - If it helped Harvick and "Chevy" in points it was NOT the right thing to do! It did help them by the way.

It's like saying a QB from team A is on the bench and all of team B's QB's are hurt so the QB from team A on his own decides he will help out and play for team B against his own team.

Great that Petty helped out but if I am the sponsor and have a contract to pay this guy to drive I am going to be extremely PO'd. That it was only $45,000 was generous of Dodge.

[70gt6]

IMO - If it helped Harvick and "Chevy" in points it was NOT the right thing to do! It did help them by the way.

It's like saying a QB from team A is on the bench and all of team B's QB's are hurt so the QB from team A on his own decides he will help out and play for team B against his own team.

Great that Petty helped out but if I am the sponsor and have a contract to pay this guy to drive I am going to be extremely PO'd. That it was only $45,000 was generous of Dodge.

Have to agree here - They (Dodge) are paying him to represent Dodge.

How many other sports would allow team members to help out the opposing teams? None.

Was it a "nice" thing to do for another driver...yes, but improper.

[a14umbra]

Have to agree here - They (Dodge) are paying him to represent Dodge.

How many other sports would allow team members to help out the opposing teams? None.

Was it a "nice" thing to do for another driver...yes, but improper.


Problem is, in the past it wasn't improper. It was sportsmanship.

Heck, one time Leroy Yarbrough ran out of gas and stopped right in front of Cale Yarbourough's pit. Junion Johnson had his team refuel Leroy and push his car to get him started.

That's always what made NASCAR better than other forms of racing.

[Bo Duke]

i guess when your owned by sponsors, sportsmanship
is not an option....
i wonder if he is also banned from helping a driver out of
a wreck........

[a14umbra]

i guess when your owned by sponsors, sportsmanship
is not an option....
i wonder if he is also banned from helping a driver out of
a wreck........
:rockon:

[70gt6]

Problem is, in the past it wasn't improper. It was sportsmanship.

Heck, one time Leroy Yarbrough ran out of gas and stopped right in front of Cale Yarbourough's pit. Junion Johnson had his team refuel Leroy and push his car to get him started.

That's always what made NASCAR better than other forms of racing.

I do not know where the line would be drawn...but I think there would have been a difference if it was a "helping hand" and not a playing the entire game for another team.

I would hope good sportsmanship is still alive. :wave:

[Bo Duke]

i contacted Dodge.... they said the "Helping Hand" fine
will only be 5K........

[mascott82]

The thing is, if it was the other way around I would hope a Chevy driver would help out. And it's not like they were building a Chevy, or collaborating with another manufacturer. If anything, I would think it would help Petty, because what better way to evaluate the quality of your product than having the opportunity to test drive a competitors? I imagine that had a lot to do with Petty hiring Loomis (from Chevy) and Todd Parrott (from Ford).

[cuda1965]

That sucks but it is understandable. How much does he get paid from dodge? If I paid someone to drink Pabst Blue Ribbon (ohh if I could have that job! lol), and then they are photo'd drinking Schlitz to help out a neighbor, I would be mad.

-Alex

[dco397]

OK, I hate to say this but...that seems very "petty" of them! :whistle: Maybe if Kyle had said afterwards "no wonder he wasn't winning! This car sucks!" Maybe Dodge would have felt better about the whole thing?