NASCAR Cup Series

Childress responds to team order talk

Published Sep. 16, 2011 2:12 p.m. ET

foxsports

Richard Childress is denying his team ordered Paul Menard to cause a caution at Richmond in an effort to help teammate Kevin Harvick win the race.

Menard's spin with 16 laps left last week came when Jeff Gordon was winning the race. The drivers pitted under caution, Harvick was first off pit road and held off Gordon to win his fourth win of the season.

Gordon has called the timing of the caution ''a little fishy,'' and NASCAR president Mike Helton says officials are investigating.

Childress issued a statement Friday morning at ChicagoLand Speedway, saying there were no team orders and Menard would not participate in something so deliberate.