http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/6474096
Waltrip's crew chief, VP escorted from garage
Lee Spencer / FOXSports.com
Posted: 14 minutes ago
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Although NASCAR is expected to make an announcement this afternoon regarding the status of Michael Waltrip Racing, here is what FOXSports.com knows so far.
At 2:10 p.m. ET, NASCAR VP of competition Robin Pemberton escorted Michael Waltrip Racing VP of competition Bobby Kennedy from the garage. Both Kennedy and David Hyder, the crew chief for the No. 55 car, have been ejected. NASCAR officials currently say that the No. 55 car has until the green flag falls for the Gatorade Duels to pass the inspection process.
NASCAR VP of competition Robin Pemberton escorts Michael Waltrip VP of competition Bobby Kennedy from the garage area (CIA Stock Photo)
At 1:45 p.m. ET, NASCAR stopped the inspection process on the primary car (No. 55) of Michael Waltrip, and shortly before 2 p.m. ET, Waltrip and Kennedy left the garage area in a golf cart after meeting with NASCAR officials in the Nextel Cup hauler.
Since 7:30 this morning, NASCAR officials had been disassembling the entire fuel system of the car. A back-up car was brought out from David Reutimann's No. 00 hauler to be decaled for Waltrip to race.
The organization felt that Reutimann's back-up car was more solid than Waltrip's, but the car did not pass tech inspection. The crew is working on the car to take it through inspection again, but it wasn't ready for Waltrip to practice before the session ended at 2:55 p.m. ET.
It had been Kennedy's understanding earlier in the day that the car would eventually get on the track for practice, but the process was slow. As of noon, Kennedy said that No. 55 crew chief David Hyder had not left the building, but during the second practice of the day, Jeff Hammond reported on SPEED that Hyder had been escorted from the garage. The word on Hyder was an indefinite suspension appeared imminent.
Michael Waltrip Racing met with both NASCAR CEO Brian France and NASCAR president Mike Helton Wednesday morning and was told to expect an announcement later Wednesday afternoon.
Gossip in the garage revolved around two possible scenarios for Waltrip and the No. 55 team: A) a 6-8 week suspension for the No. 55 car; or B) the possibility of Waltrip racing the No. 32 car with his sponsor's decals. Neither theory could be confirmed.