NASCAR shows no mercy to Robby.

Robby Gordon has vowed to appeal NASCAR's decision to dock him and his #7 team 100 championship points and suspend crew chief Frank Carr for six races following a mix-up over parts at Daytona.

Gordon's #7 Dodge arrived at Daytona sporting the 2008 spec Dodge nose section as supplied to him by Gillett-Evernham Motorsports as part of his last minute deal to switch manufacturers from Ford to the DaimlerChrysler owned brand. Sadly for Gordon the 2008 nose section given to him for his Daytona car has yet to be approved by NASCAR and as a result Gordon's machine failed opening day inspection at NASCAR's 'World Centre of Racing.'

Having switched the nose in favour of the NASCAR approved 2007-spec part Gordon went on to complete the season opening race in a fine eighth position although on Wednesday NASCAR came down hard on a driver who has been in more than his fair share of scrapes with the sports governing body.

Although Gordon's #7 Dodge did not turn a wheel on the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway with the non-approved part and even with doubts over whether or not Gordon and his single-car team knew that they had an illegal part on their car NASCAR cited the former single-seater ace under rules 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment used do not conform to NASCAR rules); and 20-3.10A (unapproved front bumper cover) of the NASCAR rule book. They also docked Gordon and his team 100 championship points, fined crew chief Frank Car $100,000 and suspended him for six races, starting this weekend at California.

The penalty, which Gordon has promised to fight, mirrors those given out to Michael Waltrip at Daytona last year for using illegal fuel additive and to Dale Earnhardt Jr's #8 DEI team at Darlington for altering the rear spoiler brackets. However while both previous cases showed a deliberate attempt to circumnavigate the rules it appears as though the fault here lies not with Gordon's team, but with his new manufacturer Dodge.

Not only were Dodge quick to go on record and explain that it was probably one of their own employees who accidentally supplied Gordon's team with the offending items Gordon's primary sponsor Jim Beam have stated that they will try and get NASCAR to rethink their decision.

At present Gordon and his #7 team have dropped from eighth to 40th in the driver and owner standings.