Hendrick Motorsports junks Jimmie Johnson’s ‘illegal’ car

The infamous Hendrick Motorsports car that failed inspection at Daytona for what NASCAR officials said were illegal C-posts won’t be raced again.

According to ESPN, the car that led to Jimmie Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus being penalized has been taken to Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s property in Cleveland County, N.C., where Earnhardt Jr. has a collection of damaged cars he calls “yard ornaments." Included in his collection is the car Juan Pablo Montoya wrecked when he hit a jet dryer during the Daytona 500.

Johnson was docked 25 points and Knaus and car chief Ron Malec were suspended for six races and Knaus was fined $100,000 for the “illegal" C-posts.

Hendrick Motorsports appealed the penalties, however, and all of the penalties except for the fine were overturned during the final appeal.

Team owner Rick Hendrick told ESPN’s David Newton that the team would not take the car to Talladega May 6 and risk another 30 days of “hell" fighting penalties.

Despite most of the penalties being overturned, NASCAR President Mike Helton said last month that Johnson and Knaus would be penalized again if they brought a car with the same C-posts back to the track. Sporting News