After initially saying there would be no penalty for creating a dangerous situation on the track and effecting the final outcome of the race, the Iron Hand of Justice today meted out fearsome judgment Tony Kanaan.
According to the Indy Star this morning, IHJ Brian Barnhart says Kanaan will be forced to sit for the first 30 -- yes, THIRTY -- minutes of practice for the St. Petersberg race.
OMG. NOT THIRTY WHOLE MINUTES. Take it easy, Brian. The guy didn't actually kill anyone. No need to mete out such a severe punishment on the guy. I mean, 30 minutes! Read all about it here.
The "penalty" came in response to an incident late in the Homestead race. After an accident late in the race, Kanaan ended up in P1 behind the pace car. Only problem was his right front was sticking up in the air and he couldn't go much faster than the pace speed.
As the field came to green, Kanaan failed to or refused to (depending on who you ask) pull off the track to make way for undamaged cars. Drivers in the back of the pack claimed coming on a 70 mph Kanaan at 185 mph caused what Derek Daly would call a "hair 'em scare 'em" situation.
Knowing that staying out and causing circus moments on the track with a damaged car will cost you THIRTY WHOLE MINUTES of practice for the next race will very likely dissuade anyone from trying such a move again!
Note to backmarkers: drag your damaged car around the track during the yellow, preferably in front of Tony, and then feel free to ignore race control and take the green. But, at least props to the league for actually announcing the punishments. Some are punishments are double-secret, some punishments aren't, I guess.
I believe it's time to retire the Iron Hand of Justice moniker - or at least park it.
Posted by: Joe | April 04, 2008 at 10:10 AM
Yeah. Unfortunately, it's now become a sarcastic nickname.
Posted by: pressdog | April 04, 2008 at 10:37 AM