CHEATERS PAYING THE PRICES.

Byline: TIM HADDOCK

MOTOR SPROTS

Cheating again is the hot topic at Daytona International Speedway before NASCAR's biggest race of the year, Sunday's Daytona 500.

Three of NASCAR's biggest stars -- Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne and Michael Waltrip -- were penalized for cheating during qualifying.

Evernham Motorsports, the flagship of the Dodge teams, was hit especially hard when the teams for Elliott Sadler and Scott Riggs also were penalized. Kahne, Sadler and Riggs drive for owner Ray Evernham.

NASCAR promised to get tougher on rule breakers and to its credit, it followed through.

Kahne and Kenseth, both Chase qualifiers from a year ago, were caught with illegally altered cars. Michael Waltrip's car was discovered to have a foreign substance in the intake manifold of the engine and was confiscated by NASCAR.

Kahne and Kenseth have lost their crew chiefs for the first four races of the year. Their teams also were fined $50,000 each. But unlike in years past, Kahne and Kenseth were docked 50 points, putting them in the hole before the green flag even drops on the season opener. Sadler and Riggs were given 25-point penalties and their crew chiefs were suspended for the first two races of the year.

Waltrip and his crew suffered the biggest penalty of all Wednesday. Crew chief David Hyder was suspended indefinitely and fined $100,000. Team director Bobby Kennedy also was kicked out indefinitely.

Waltrip was docked 100 points, but will be allowed to participate in today's races that determine the field for the Daytona 500.

NASCAR officials would not reveal what they found in Waltrip's intake manifold, but a person with knowledge of the investigation told the Associated Press it was a form of jet fuel.

NASCAR chairman and CEO Brian France said during his annual state of the sport address that penalties are going to be more severe for teams that cheat.

How severe is yet to be determined, but if this week's penalties are any indication, they are still not severe enough.

"You can't expect with 120 cars, thousands of rules that are out there, that some teams are either going to intentionally cross the line or inadvertently cross the line," France said. "Either way, it's our job to protect the integrity of the sport."

It's also France's job to keep NASCAR in the spotlight. Oscar Wilde had a philosophy on this: Something along the lines of there is no such thing as bad publicity.

In Kenseth's case, holes were discovered in the wheel wells of his car. Apparently this creates less wind resistance and a more aerodynamic car, which at Daytona is probably the biggest advantage a car can have.

Despite some of the unwanted, yet widespread, attention cheaters bring to NASCAR, France made it clear in his address that he wants to see it come to an end.

"It will be undeniable that when you keep pushing the system and test the integrity of the sport, we will do whatever it takes," he said. "That doesn't mean you go out and get somebody in the electric chair, but it does mean you step up the penalties to a level that makes it a true deterrent."

Haas awaits trial, expands team

Gene Haas, owner of the two-car Haas CNC Racing team in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, is awaiting his trial on charges of filing false tax returns, witness intimidation and conspiracy.

Haas, a California State University, Northridge, graduate who also owns the Oxnard-based Haas Automation Inc., is scheduled to go to trial Sept. 18. He was arrested in June by IRS agents and has been free on $10 million bond since June.

Haas Automation issued a statement that said its founder is "innocent of any and all charges," and the "IRS issues revolve around the activities of a former Haas Automation employee."

Requests for an interview with Haas were respectfully declined.

In the meantime, Haas has expanded his NASCAR Nextel Cup Series efforts -- from one to two cars -- and is also preparing for the season-opening Daytona 500 on Sunday.

Jeff Green and Johnny Sauter will be his drivers. Both have already qualified for the race. Green's No. 66 team finished in the top 35 in the owner points standings last year, earning a starting spot. Sauter, driver of the No. 70 Chevrolet, earned his starting spot during qualifying Sunday.

Sauter was ninth and Green was 26th in qualifying for the Daytona 500.

"The car felt good, but we didn't have our qualifying speed up to where we wanted it," Green said. "This is a brand new car, and we didn't even get to test with it."

Green said he plans on taking an aggressive strategy in today's Gatorade Duels, even though he has a guaranteed spot in the Daytona 500.

"Well, you definitely don't lay back in the early going," Green said. "You've got to put yourself in position to try and get a good starting spot for the 500."

Green and crew chief Harold Holly have been reunited at Haas CNC Racing. They worked together to win a NASCAR Busch Series championship in 2000.

"You can't buy chemistry," Green said. "You can't buy what Harold and I have. Our first race back together, (Martinsville, Va., October 2006) we finished eighth. That just shows you how much confidence and chemistry means to the success of a race team."

Sauter drove the Haas CNC Racing entry in the NASCAR Busch Series last year. He was one of three drivers to earn a spot in the Daytona 500 on qualifying time.

Four more starting spots are up for grabs in the duels. The top-two drivers in each race will earn starting spots in the Daytona 500. The finishing order of the duels will determine the starting order for the 500.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos, 2 boxes

Photo:

(1) NASCAR officials inspect the engine from Michael Waltrip's Toyota on Wednesday at Daytona International Speedway.

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

(2) Jeff Green

Box:

(1) THIS WEEK

- The Associated Press

(2) Etc.