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Todd Bodine on probation for careless driving

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Todd Bodine was placed on probation Wednesday by NASCAR for careless driving that triggered a multi-car accident at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Bodine, driver of the No. 26 Ford, is on probation until Dec. 31, If there is another action this season that NASCAR officials deem detrimental or disruptive to a race, he will receive an indefinite suspension.

"We've noticed numerous on-track incidents involving Todd, and we felt this was the proper step to take at this time," Winston Cup director John Darby said.

Bodine was heavily criticized for his role in the wreck Sunday in the UAW-GM Quality 500. He made a move to the inside of Ward Burton and Jeff Green, who already were running side by side down the frontstretch, but Bodine's left-side tires touched the infield grass and his car careened out of control.

Bodine hit Burton, who hit Green, and soon about 10 more cars -- including all three from Richard Childress Racing -- were involved.

"That's about the eighth car Todd Bodine has totaled for my team this year," Childress said after the wreck. "It's time NASCAR reviews some of these drivers who are constantly causing all the crashes. Todd does something stupid every week."

Bodine argued after the wreck that his actions were caused by Burton and Green, who were racing so aggressively off Turn 4 that Bodine either had to slow to avoid running into them or make the move toward the grass.

Also penalized was Tommy Baldwin, fined $25,000 because his Busch series car driven by Wally Dallenbach did not meet the minimum height requirement after Saturday's race.

Mike Ford, crew chief for Bill Elliott, was fined $2,000 because a team member was on pit road Sunday without wearing a helmet.

DE FERRAN'S TEST: Gil de Ferran tested Toyota's new Indy Racing League engine and himself last week at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

De Ferran, who missed the season finale two weeks ago in Texas after suffering a concussion and hairline fracture of his left wrist in a crash Sept. 8 at Chicagoland Speedway, completed more than 400 miles of testing in his first outing since the accident.

De Ferran drove a 2002 Dallara chassis equipped with the new engine.

"It's going really well," de Ferran said. "It's nice to be back on the horse again. And, secondly, to be the first guy to drive (the) Toyota engine around this track is a privilege."

NEXT GENERATION: The latest step in longtime drag racing star Kenny Bernstein's plan to retire after the season fell into place when his son, Brandon, earned his Top Fuel license.

Brandon Bernstein, 29, will step into the Budweiser King dragster made famous by his father, winner of six National Hot Rod Association championships.

NHRA requires a Top Fuel applicant to perform two runs faster than 5.20 seconds and two runs in excess of 275 mph to qualify for a license. Bernstein's runs, 4.621 seconds at 322.23 and 4.699 seconds at 320.62, easily met the requirements.

"It was an awesome, unbelievable experience," Bernstein said.

Kenny Bernstein, 59, will continue to operate the team.

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