NASCAR report: Johnson's chief likely faces discipline

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.

NASCAR likely will penalize Chad Knaus, the crew chief for five-time champion Jimmie Johnson, for infractions found during Daytona 500 inspection,

president Mike Helton said Saturday.

But Helton indicated punishment would not be doled out until after next Sunday's season-opening Daytona 500.

The No. 48 Chevrolet had illegally modified sheet metal between the roof and the side windows - the area known as the C-posts - that was found in Friday's opening day inspection.

NASCAR took the C-posts from the Hendrick Motorsports team and shipped them to its research and development facility.

Friday's incident "fits in the category of prerace inspection issues that we've had in the past," Helton said Saturday morning.

"It will warrant a reaction from us more so than what you've seen already, more than what we've done so far," he added.

Knaus has not been seriously punished by NASCAR since 2007, although he was scrutinized last season when in-car audio captured him telling Johnson to "crack" the back of the car against the wall if he won at Talladega - an apparent effort to skirt a potential post-race inspection.

NASCAR said the audio was not enough evidence to warrant any punishment.

But asked Saturday if Knaus' previous history would be taken into consideration when a penalty is issued, Helton was vague.

"It certainly makes you scratch your head," Helton said.

Earnhardt-Ganassi team signs rising star

Earnhardt Ganassi Racing signed 19-year-old racing standout Kyle Larson to a developmental contract, putting him on the path to a potential future in the Sprint Cup Series.

The Elk Grove, Calif., native won 22 major professional feature races last season, including victories in the World of Outlaws sprint car series and all three United States Auto Club national divisions. Last fall, he swept the 4-Crown Nationals at Eldora Speedway, winning in three different styles of race car - midgets, sprint cars and silver crown cars - in the same night.

Gerhart wins ARCA race

Bobby Gerhart won his eighth ARCA series race at Daytona International Speedway.

Gerhart, who started 42nd, passed several rapidly slowing cars a few hundred feet from the finish line Saturday for his third consecutive victory at the storied speedway.

Brandon McReynolds, who led the previous 62 laps and was in line for his first ARCA victory when the green flag dropped for a two-lap sprint, ran out of gas on the frontstretch and faded to 11th. Chris Windom also came up short on fuel and finished eighth.