Rick Hendrick and Company Go for Hail Mary Pass with NASCAR Appeal and Scores

Rick Hendrick, owner of  Hendrick Motorsports, finds those who ruled against his No. 48 team fair, but rejects their opinion as being wrong. He went the final step in the appeals process Tuesday. Update:

The Chief Appellate Officer has rescinded the suspensions and points penalty. The $100,000 fine remains in place for Chad Knaus.

The appeals process worked just as it was expected to, and Hendrick Motorsports fell victim to the National Stock Car Racing Appeals Panel that heard the appeal at NASCAR's Research and Development Center.

Jimmie Johnson has insisted he is just the driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet at Hendrick Motorsports and really has no involvement in the appeals request over his Daytona car.

He has implied they had a strong case though.

With the final appeal for heavy penalties assessed to the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports team being heard in less than 48 hours, it appeared the pressure of the looming decision had little effect on the team at Bristol.

Last week, the appeal was heard and a resounding statement was made to Hendrick Motorsports and the No. 48 team that the assessed penalties would be upheld.

With a six-week suspension of crew chief, Chad Knaus, and car chief, Ron Malec, looming, there's no doubt a strong backup plan is already in place.

Hendrick Motorsports believed they had the facts to overturn the penalties that had been imposed, but that seldom happens in the initial appeals process.

Johnson is making strides from his negative points standing prior to the Daytona 500 because of the 25 driver points he was penalized, with some strong finishes. He is 17th in points heading to Fontana.

Adversity makes this team stronger, so you have to wonder if momentum will continue should the final appeal backfire on Hendrick and company.

A betting person would throw down more chips and watch the No. 48 team continue to dominate races.

The final appeal will be heard before John Middlebrook, a retired GM executive, who is the NASCAR Chief Appellate Officer.

He is also friends with Hendrick and has reduced penalties in the the three cases that have been heard before him.

Middlebrook conducts the hearing with all parties in the room as opposed to each side being heard individually in the appeal that upheld the NASCAR penalties assessed at Daytona.

Though Knaus believes NASCAR never used a template to measure the C-posts that were the issue at Daytona, it was apparently visually obvious to NASCAR officials.

One has to wonder just how big of a deal the C-post issue really was or is the No. 48 team just being held as example of the pain NASCAR can inflict.

They say, you can't fool mother nature, and you can't fool NASCAR either.

It is likely there will be some reduction in the penalties, perhaps Knaus and Malec will not be absent from the track for the full six weeks or the $100,000 fine on Knaus will be reduced.

The loss of 25 points may not be restored for the driver Johnson.

There are two sides of this coin, and Hendrick is adamant that they did nothing wrong since the car never hit the track with the C-posts NASCAR found to be illegal.

NASCAR has made it very clear with the COT, that there are sacred parts of the car that just cannot be manipulated under any circumstances.

We shall wait and see what looms ahead for the team and what effect the final decision will have on his season. If history tells us anything, Johnson will continue to have strong runs.