2008 An American Revolution 150
From The Third Turn, a Wikia wiki
The 2008 An American Revolution 150 was a Camping World East Series event held at Greenville-Pickens Speedway on April 19, 2008. It was the season opener. In what many predicted would prove to be a powerful combination, Petyon Sellers won in his first series start with Andy Santerre Motorsports, starting on the pole and holding off teammate Austin Dillon in Dillon's first series appearance. However, in a shocking post-race inspection, NASCAR disqualified Seller's ride, leaving him in 30th place. The end result: Dillon claiming victory in his first series start. By doing so, Sellers became the first driver in series history to lose a race due to a post-race infraction. Ben Stancill surprised with his career-best (to this point) 3th place finish while much-anticipated Ricky Carmichael finished in 5th.
[edit] NASCAR Decision & ASM Reaction
From ASM PR
Harrisburg, NC – NASCAR announced today that the #44 Chevrolet driven by Peyton Sellers would earn 30th place points and forfeit it’s season-opening win in the Kevin Whitaker Chevrolet 150 at Greenville Pickens Speedway due to a rules infraction. Per NASCAR, this decision can not be appealed.
H.C. Sellers was also banned from the next three NASCAR Camping World East Series events.
“Needless to say we are shocked and disappointed,” ASM owner Andy Santerre stated. “We are being made an example. We admit there was a rules infraction, it was a shock to us as much as it was unintentional and unknown prior to post-race inspection. We conceded that and worked with NASCAR to make sure it was not found in any of the other shocks or on the second ASM car. It was not. We understood there would be ramifications, but to go against past precedent and take the win is disappointing.”
Santerre continues, “The one thing we know in the NCWES is if we finish in the top-5, which for ASM, is about every week, the tranny, the rear gear and the shocks are coming apart. It would be stupid to do something that blatant intentionally when we know it will be checked. Santerre explains, “We built shocks for a team last year and bought them back at the end of last year. We dynoed them and they seemed the same as when we built them. We tested all four shocks on the car at Greenville, but to make the car better, we changed three of them, but one of the shocks stayed on the car. It was this shock that was illegal.”
The decision gives ASM teammate, Austin Dillon, his first win in his first race in the series.
[edit] Qualifying
Sellers also won the pole for the race, turning in a speed of 20.702 seconds that gave him the first starting spot. Brian Ickler, beginning his rookie season on the series, started 2nd. Dillon started 5th. Thirty-nine drivers showed up for thirty spots. The following drivers did not qualify for the 2008 An American Revolution 150:
- #50- Todd Peck (RES)
- #72- Jason Cochran (RES)
- #58- Richard Gould (RES)
- #17- A.J. Henriksen (RES)
- #10- Daniel Pope (RES)
- #33- Johnny Petrozelle (RES)
- #41- James Pritchard, Jr. (RES)
- #93- Ian Henderson (RES)
- #08- Joe Oliver (RES)
