Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson have been docked 100 driver points each and their #24 and #48 teams 100 team points each after NASCAR discovered illegal modifications to the front fenders of their Chevrolets in pre-race inspection last weekend at the Infineon Raceway.
Both Gordon and Johnson were forced to sit out all of Friday's on-track activities at the California road course and start the race from the rear of the grid but despite those problems, Gordon came through to finish seventh and Johnson 17th.
The team have announced that they will not appeal the penalties even though Gordon's crew chief Steve Letarte and Johnson's crew chief Chad Knaus have both been suspended for the next six Nextel Cup races beginning this weekend at New Hampshire.
Even with the points loss, Gordon and his #24 team still leads the overall standings with a 171 point lead over Denny Hamlin although defending series champ Johnson drops two places to fifth in the standings.
The punishment falls in line with what NASCAR dished out to Dale Earnhardt Jr and the #8 DEI team after illegal modifications were found on their Car of Tomorrow at Darlington.
Both Letarte and Knaus, who was also suspended for four races last season, have been placed on probation until the end of the season.
![Jeff Gordon and crew chief Steve Letarte. [Pic Credit image.net]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/343264.jpg)
