As you may have already heard, Ed Carpenter has been fined the dreaded UNDISCLOSED AMOUNT for his violation of rule 8.3.A, which is in fact an actual IndyCar series rule. According to my 2006 version of the IndyCar series Official Rule Book (if you have a spare '08 version I'd love to have it by the bedside) said long-winded statute under Additional Provisions and Guidelines states:
Any Member who engages in unsportsmanlike conduct or conduct detrimental to racing and/or to IRL, whether during an Event of on or off the Track, may be subject to any or all penalties. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, unsportsmanlike conduct shall include reckless, careless and overly aggressive driving, engaging in uncompetitive behavior toward other Members, impeding the conduct of an Event, endangering the safety of Competitors, inability to participate at competitive speed, inability to participate in close proximity to other Cars, failing to follow the direction of Officials, and the use of improper, profane or disparaging language or gestures in reference to Officials, Members or actions or situations connected in and way with IRL or any Event.It seems on a live IMS Radio interview that was also being piped to the good folks at Kansas Speedway Ed declared (courtesy of pressdog):
"I had a podium car easy and this idiot, Viso -- I don't know if he's never done pit stops before or what, but he's about 200 to 300 feet down pit lane than me and I mean, fudge, our stuff doesn't even look anywhere near alike."
Of course, Ed didn't say "Fudge." He said THE word, the big one, the queen-mother of dirty words, the "F-dash-dash-dash" word! And like Kosuke Matsuura after last year's Sofa King outburst he's a little lighter in the wallet for his "use of improper, profane or disparaging language".
Two words, Ed: Vulgarity Anonymous
Brian Barnhart: "All right. Now, are you ready to tell me where you heard that word?"
Ed Carpenter: [narrating] Now, I had heard that word in the garage area at least ten times a day from AJ Foyt. He worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It was his true medium; a master. But, I chickened out and said the first name that came to mind:
"Wheldon!"
this section of the rule book :
"inability to participate at competitive speed, inability to participate in close proximity to other Cars,"
how does it not apply to : Milka Duno, EJ Viso, Mario Moraes ????
Ralphie's dad always wanted to work in the pits at the Indy 500.