DEI drops appeal of COT penalties

CHARLOTTE (AP) — Dale Earnhardt Incorporated is dropping its appeal of penalties levied against Dale Earnhardt Junior and his crew chief for illegal modifications made to the Car of Tomorrow.

The appeal was scheduled to be heard tomorrow, but the team informed NASCAR today it will not fight the penalties.

Earnhardt was docked 100 points. Crew chief Tony Eury Junior was fined 100-thousand dollars and suspended six races after NASCAR discovered illegal brackets on the rear wing of the Number Eight Chevrolet at Darlington Raceway.

Eury has maintained the brackets were old and inadvertently landed on the car. NASCAR officials say that explanation is not plausible.

DEI had planned to argue that the penalties were too severe. But NASCAR officials countered with a March 21st rule amendment that outlined the penalties that would be levied for infractions on the COT.

Earnhardt will work the next six races with car chief Tony Gibson in charge.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)