CONCORD - Yeah, you knew this was coming.  Adrian Parker, business manager for Matt Kenseth, had to cool down a few days before he could respond!  His thoughts on the Gibbs penalty are thought provoking, but he's also weighing in on so much more, let's get to it!

CAN THE PUNISHMENT FIT THE CRIME? It’s a question that will be asked a lot over the next week, as Penske Racing will have their final appeal on Tuesday, May 7, for violations at Texas, a day before Joe Gibbs Racing has their first appeal on Wednesday, May 8, for a violation on the No. 20 car at Kansas.

The latter hits a little close to home. It’s been covered ad nauseam so I’ll refrain from recapping. Bob Pockrass, who writes for the Sporting News, wrote a good opinion piece about the infractions and penalties here: http://bit.ly/ZZxdxG

In my opinion, once it is determined there is an infraction then it should come down to a couple of questions that need to be taken into consideration when levying the punishment:

1.     Did the team gain a competitive advantage?

2.     Can the conclusion be made that the team intended to gain a competitive advantage?

If the answer to both of those questions is the same, then that should determine how big of a hammer NASCAR swings at the ruling. “Yes” being a sledge and “no” being a tack.

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV)- Many households have them: The 20-year-old freezer in the garage that's seldom used, or that old clunker of a refrigerator collecting dust – and using lots of energy – in the basement.

"The potential to save money and energy – and even earn extra cash – can be found in recycling outdated, secondary refrigerators and freezers that are in working condition located throughout your home," said John Langston, program manager for Duke Energy's appliance recycling program.

Unplugging and properly disposing of these energy-hogging dinosaurs through recycling can save money, reduce energy demand and environmental impact, and possibly delay the need for Duke Energy to build new power plants:

RALEIGH, NC (WBTV)- The measles outbreak reported earlier this month in North Carolina is spreading, according to the latest numbers from state health officials.

North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services public health officials and staff from local health departments are now investigating 19 cases of measles in Stokes, Orange and Polk counties as part of an outbreak that was first reported in mid-April, according to a news release from the NC Department of Health and Human Services. 

Since the outbreak began, state and local public health authorities have notified more than 1,000 people in Stokes, Forsyth, Guilford, Orange, Polk and Chatham counties who may have been exposed to the disease.