As The Engine Revs Episode Seven - You Mean We're Not Supposed to Cheat?

Okay, can you say "duh" - or at this point I guess it should be more a Homeresque "D'oh!"

Drivers and owners of the suspended, fined and points-deducted NASCAR teams are baffled by NASCAR cracking down on cheating!  Amazing!!

Let's review:  Here are the rules. No more breaking the rules.  Follow the rules, or you will face the consequences.  You broke the rules, here are the consequences.  You there - you're suspended.  You - you're fined $100,000.  You, driver - you lose 100 points before the season even starts.  Wait a minute!  You mean you really meant it?  Oh, wow, man, why didn't you say so!

Car owner Jack Roush and driver Matt Kenseth were outraged Wednesday with NASCAR's decision to dock them 50 championship points before the season even opened at the Dayton 500.  And why were they so outraged?  Because even though NASCAR said after last year's violations 'This has got to stop, gentleman.  No more!', they didn't really believe it.  After all, Jimmie Johnson didn't have this happen to him last year when he broke the rules.  `That was 10 times graver an infraction than this was,'' said Kenseth, the 2003 Cup series champion and last year's runner-up. ``There were parts purposely built to move body panels around, all kinds of stuff, and we had a couple covers, or one cover, come off that was covering a hole up. It's night and day difference. ... It's kind of like the difference between jaywalking and attempted murder.''

Okay, okay, I get it.  It's kind of like when you're a kid and you are playing the "Quiet" game and you keep changing it to "starting.........now", right? 

NASCAR president Mike Helton said``Just because someone may have gotten by with it before doesn't mean it's OK. When we find it, that's when we find it.  We've got enough experienced team owners and crew chiefs in this sport. They know how we work.''

NASCAR officials warned teams last season that penalties would escalate to grab the attention of owners, drivers and crew chiefs. I think they've grabbed it, don't you?