Jimmie Johnson fails Daytona 500 tech inspection

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA - Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Chad Knaus and other members of Jimmie Johnson’s pit crew face possible sanctions after NASCAR said it found unapproved modifications on Johnson’s car during Friday’s tech inspection.

The C-posts -- fin-like pillars that come down from the roof to the quarter panel -- were confiscated by NASCAR on Friday after going through an inspection in advance of Saturday’s first Daytona 500 practice session (11 a.m. EST).

“We’re pretty serious about the body configurations of the cars for all of the right reasons,” NASCAR Sprint Cup Series director John Darby said. “This one was a modification that had been made to the car that put it outside that box.”

As is standard practice in NASCAR, the parts were put on display in the Sanctioning Body’s hauler after being cut from the #48’s frame. The team has been allowed to repair the car with approved parts. No sanctions will be handed-out until after Speedweeks.

“There’s always a potential (for penalties), but we’ll just wait until the 500 is over with,” said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR’s vice president of competition.

Sean Corr Wins ARCA Daytona Pole

The failed inspection was the top story to come out of Friday’s track session but not the only story to come out of the season’s first day of competition.

Sean Corr won the pole for tomorrow’s ARCA Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 after initial pole-sitter Bobby Gerhart failed post-qualifying inspection. Corr started eighth in a 2010 race at Pocono, but has never been started higher in ARCA Series competition.

“Can you pinch me?” Corr asked after learning that he had actually won the pole with a fast lap of 182.663 mph.

“I really don’t know if I’m dreaming because this is something that’s only in a dream. I was just walking through (the media center) once thinking to myself, ‘I never thought I’d be walking in the media center in my race suit,’ much less twice in one day.”

Two other drivers - Brennan Poole and Joey Coulter also failed post-qualifying inspection for height violations. Poole and Gerhart will start the race on provisional in positions 33 and 42, respectively. Coulter did not qualify.

The 80-lap, 200-mile Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 airs live on SPEED at 4:30 p.m. EST on Saturday. Gerhart is the defending and all-time leading winner at the track, with wins in 1999, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, and 2011.

The ARCA Racing Series will host a final, 45-minute practice session at 10 a.m. on Saturday. A complete starting lineup can be found beneath the jump.

Major Accident Mars Opening Bud Shootout Practice

The return of big pack restrictor plate racing and race-rust was the chief cause of a multi-car accident during Friday night’s first Budweiser Shootout practice session.

Tony Stewart , while drafting with Kurt Busch, turned the #51 and collected the cars of Kyle Busch, A.J. Allmendinger and Brad Keselowski. Kurt Busch, Keselowksi and Allmendinger recorded the fastest 10-lap average speeds prior to the accident. All three elected to go to a backup car for Saturday’s Bud Shootout.

“I was pushing [Kurt] amd he had to move a little bit,” Stewart said. “I’m still the one pushing him so I’m responsible for it.”

Busch chalked it up to the risks of restrictor plate racing.

“It was just a deal where Tony was trying to help,” Busch said. “We were both trying to learn the draft and some slow cars emerged in front of us. I slid up to get past them and I got turned around.”

Kyle Busch’s team repaired his entry and he turned competitive laps in an abbreviated second practice session. That session was eventually cancelled due to rain.

The next scheduled NASCAR session is set for 11:00 a.m. EST -- Daytona 500 first practice.