The Knuckleheads of the Day award

Today's winners are Michal Waltrip, plus his crew chief David Hyder and team director Bobby Kennedy. They get the award for the following.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Michael Waltrip's team became the fifth caught cheating before the Daytona 500, a scandal that tarnished NASCAR's biggest race of the season and Toyota's highly anticipated debut. In all, six crew members have been thrown out of Daytona as NASCAR made it known cheating will not be tolerated.

"We've got people's attention now," NASCAR competition director Robin Pemberton said Wednesday.

Waltrip, a two-time Daytona winner, lost his crew chief and team director right before the biggest race of the year. The two were suspended indefinitely after an illegal substance was found during inspection for the season-opener.

Waltrip, docked 100 points, will be allowed to participate in Thursday's races that determine the field for the 500.

David Hyder, his crew chief, was thrown out of the garage and fined $100,000. Team director Bobby Kennedy also was kicked out.

Waltrip said he was "so sad and embarrassed" but tried to shift blame to an unnamed individual within his team.

"This is not the action of an organization, a manufacturer or a sponsor," Waltrip said in a statement. "This was an independent act done without consent or authorization from me or any of my executive management team."

I think Waltrip is full of it You're going to tell me you're racing a car at 200 MPH and risking your life but don't know what is under the hood? Gimme a break.

Cheating is probably common in the sport, and there is plenty of bellyaching at present in Daytona. Tough, you cheat and get caught, there are going to be consequences. Like not being to race, or you Michael Waltrip, David Hyder and Bobby Kennedy becoming today's Knuckleheads of the Day.

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