Johnson's penalty explained

Johnson's fifth fastest time was disallowed from the session, and his crew chief Chad Knaus was ejected from Daytona for the entirety of speedweeks, after his rear window failed a post-qualifying template inspection.

Nextel Cup director John Darby explained that the 48 team had fashioned a device whereby an off-set anti-roll bar would lead to the elevation of the rear windscreen, which could lead to a crucial aerodynamic advantage.

Darby said that this procedure could be carried out with legal adjusting methods that take place after the pre-qualifying inspection.

Darby explained: "It was a procedure that the team had worked on and developed to circumvent the template fit from the time the car was inspected prior to qualifying and having the ability to change that fit before the car actually went onto the racetrack.

"There are adjustable components in the rear of all of the race cars. There's a right wedge bolt, left wedge bolt, and what they call a track bar. The track bar is responsible for holding the rear-end centred in the car and doesn't move.

"As the teams adjust that up and down, it affects the car being looser or tighter. That's completely aboveboard and in the parameters of the rule book.

"However, with the addition of a locking collar on that adjustor bolt, that was positioned to be in contact with the guide tube that is to the back glass, as you adjust the bar in a normal fashion, you are additionally pushing the rear window up into the air. That's what was detected on the car.

"The rear window in the right side lower area of the windshield was raised significantly. Anything that you can do to raise the rear window in there essentially diverts air away from the spoiler."

The car will be released from confiscation in time for free practice tomorrow.

"The first function of the 48 team will be to repair the automobile and bring it back into specifications as it was before the situation happened," Darby added.