Mayfield’s Car to Be Inspected

As if Jeremy Mayfield didn’t have enough problems with NASCAR, a technical inspection of the car he drove to victory in the NAPA Auto Parts 500 on Sunday showed that it was too low.

NASCAR rules require Winston Cup cars be 51 inches high when measured at a point 10 inches behind the windshield.

Mayfield’s wasn’t.

At least after the finish.

“You all might have seen Jeremy jump on the roof of the car after winning,” said NASCAR spokesperson Danielle Humphrey, who added that Mayfield’s victory at California Speedway would not be affected. “It is low, but we’ve got to take into account his getting on the car and jumping on it.”

The theory is that Mayfield might have bashed in his roof enough to fail the inspection.

The car was confiscated and taken to North Carolina for additional inspection. If the Mayfield-jumping theory holds, there would be no penalty. If not, NASCAR has the right to administer any sort of sanction it desires, which generally involves a fine.

Mayfield is already under investigation by NASCAR for a possible infraction involving the fuel he used in a race two weeks ago at Talladega, Ala.

Mayfield’s winning Ford Taurus is owned by Michael Kranefuss and Roger Penske.

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Dan Gurney and Shav Glick go back 31 years, to the Mosport track in Canada, where Gurney was driving in a Can-Am race in 1969 and Glick was there to learn how to cover a motorsports event.

Before Sunday’s race, Gurney, a former Indy car, Formula One and NASCAR driver, won the first Shav Glick Award, presented to the person who is judged the “Distinguished Achiever in Motorsports in Southern California” by a blue-ribbon panel.

“I think [the late] Mickey Thompson and I taught him everything he knows,” cracked Gurney about Glick, who has covered motorsports for The Times for 31 years.

Then Gurney turned serious. “This means a lot to me because it’s part of history,” he said. “And because of my long association with him.”