Originally Posted on Race2Win and JNFL.net

September 17, 2002 - Here we go again gang. Once again the NASCAR special enforcement team was out and about in Dover this weekend and they found somebody to fine. Was it because of a car violation you ask? No, I reply. Was it because one of the drivers decided to punch another over an accident? Again the answer is no followed by a huge sigh. Was it because..... You could sit and ask me questions all day and you would never guess.

I am having a hard time believing this one myself but it is true. Chad Knaus, Jimmy Johnson's crew chief, was being interviewed after the race and he was so excited that he and his team were now only 30 points away from taking the points lead this close to the end of the season, that he said the f-word on national television. Chad didn't say it in anger nor did his say it to be malicious toward NASCAR or any of its constituents. He said it because he got excited and it slipped. So What?! So, they fined him..... $5,000. The exact statement incase you didn't hear it for yourself was not all that bad. I have heard worse on the Jerry Springer Show at ten o'clock in the morning. This is what Knaus said. 

"We won! Our team is fucking goin’ for the championship." 

Obviously he was so thrilled to see his team perform at the top of their game for the first season together that his emotions got the better of him and it slipped. So what! Who cares?! I certainly don't. I have four children at home watching the race so don't try and use that as an excuse. This particular word, whether we like it or not, has become part of today's vocabulary. Do I think you should say it on television all the time? NO. Of course not but you have to take a look at and be reasonable to the fact, that if you want such close TV coverage things like this might happen. Even Howard Stern has a seven second dump delay for just such emergencies. Now we are going to fine a happy fella celebrating a win and possibly the move needed to procure this rookie team their rightful spot in Winston Cup history books for cursing? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE ?!! This has got to stop!

I don't feel that it is Chad Knaus responsibility to have to watch his mouth in this situation. HE WAS HAPPY!! Geeze....... Let the guy have his moment. It is TNT's responsibility to police their broadcasts. All the people watching at home probably laughed or gasped but don't make a federal case out of it. NASCAR and Hendrick Motorsports made this poor guy feel like dirt for saying something that comes out of just about everyone's mouth at least once during the course of a day, unless you live in a monastery or are trying to become a Nun. If you don't want people to hear that stuff that's fine. No, not give him a fine..... just fine. Make it the broadcasters fault for allowing it to be aired on the tube not the happy guy in victory lane. I get so mad about this sh*! Why is it that we all think we are to good for some of the bad? It keeps us honest and focused. Here is the statement they forced him to say........

“I couldn’t be more embarrassed about the way I handled myself in Dover,” Knaus said. “What I said was extremely offensive and I want to apologize to our fans, Lowe’s and the entire Hendrick Motorsports organization. It reflects poorly on everyone associated with this team and I know better.”

Team owner Rick Hendrick said it was “unacceptable for any employee to use language like that while representing Hendrick Motorsports, our sponsors and our fans.”

“We don’t condone it in any setting and certainly not in a public place like victory lane,” Hendrick said. “Sometimes our emotions get the best of us, but there are better ways to express them. Chad understands that he’s made a mistake and after sitting down with him, it’s obvious that he’s willing to take responsibility.”

NASCAR fined him under Section 12-4-A in the Winston Cup rule book: “Actions detrimental to stock car racing: use of improper language.”

Rogue Reporter Andy