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September 19, 2005
Hey, you guys cut that out!
There should be no doubt about NASCAR's serious intention of doing whatever it takes to rein in drivers' poor behavior and word choices.
Why else were penalties announced only a little more than 24 hours after the wreck-fest at New Hampshire International Speedway? Sure, striking with a penalty story while the iron is still hot from Sunday's shenanigans is good marketing. Still, they really mean it this time.
This is something up with which NASCAR will no longer put.
September 19, 2005 in Racing | Permalink
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Baloney, Bob. If NASCAR was serious about stopping this idiocy, they'd have parked Kahne and Gordon--and maybe Mikey too. Instead, they took points away from people who aren't in the points race and have no chance of getting to 11th. Their teams can deduct the fines as "usual business expenses" (ask the IRS). NASCAR is just trying to get this all out of the way so it can go out and flog the dead horse that is this year's Chase. Face it: Newman vs. Biffle will get lower ratings than Portland vs Cleveland in the NBA. NASCAR just wants to minimize the bad press from the wreckfest and sweep the wrecks under the rug (or out back of the shop, whichever applies). These penalties are a joke. What will it take to get NASCAR serious? A safety crew guy or nutso driver getting run over? If you thought the horrible videos of Dale Jr catching fire got replayed too many times, just wait till THAT happens.
Posted by: Jo | Sep 19, 2005 9:51:11 PM
I agree Jo, penalties are normally announced on Tuesday and usually in the morning. All NASCAR did was move the timeline up by 12 or 16 hours. NASCAR missed their "perfect storm." They could have parked Kahne and Gordon next week, not affected the Chase - or the "After Thought Grand Prix" (11th place)- AND sent a message the penalized behavior wouldn't be tolerated.
As for a Biffle/Newman battle for the Title bringing lower ratings versus the NBA, whats your point? It's an apples and oranges argument.
Generally that's been true of NASCAR's TV ratings, Chase or not. The facts indicate TV viewership rose last year against '03 during the last ten events. TV ratings have continued to set records this year. And with the media attention New Hampshire garnered I bet the ratings for this years Chase at worst will match the '04 events.
Posted by: Marc | Sep 19, 2005 10:52:59 PM
NASCAR the kiddies took over the playground and you responded by taking away their lunch money. If you want to regain control then you best start acting like the adult here. Kahne said it all, "DJ showed us it was the way to do it." NASCAR knows how to stop these things! It isn't by ramping up penalties from the bare minimum. You have to make them stiff enough from the start to make the infraction intolerable. Wrecked on the track...you immediately go with the safety crew to the ambulance. No fist pumping, finger pointing, helmet throwing...In the ambulance or you're in the hauler going home (and stay there for the next race too since you'll miss it). Come back after repairs and intentionally wreck someone...See ya and don't even make the trip for the next 5 events you wont be invited. In a wreck and in the garage...You stay in the garage with your car. You don't approach the other teams pit area. I dont care if you want to be as diplomatic as Ghandi. Don't do it or you might as well get that hauler you're done for the day(Not that I wouldn't find a raging K. Busch funny). Had he watched the replay he could have saved the trip.
As for the interviews...At the incare center hold the drivers for as long as it takes for them to cool down and have a word
with NASCAR and the Car Owner about appropriately expressing their perceived wrongs and the worthiness or not of their wrongdoer to be allowed to walk the earth. Then you let them interview.
Anyway, NASCAR has the tools to end it do they have the balls to use them?
Posted by: Keith | Sep 20, 2005 8:05:56 AM
I agree with you guys. NASCAR had a perfect opportunity to park these guys and make an example of why this behavior is unacceptable. Don't get me wrong - I actually enjoyed watching some of this stuff - Kahne retaliating on Busch and Gordon throwing helmets, I actually thought it was funny. But there's also no reason for some of these things to be done under caution and what happens if someone had really gotten hurt? NASCAR needs to draw the line somewhere and they missed their chance on this one.
Posted by: Christina | Sep 20, 2005 9:13:07 AM
After I just read what I wrote again - I wanted to add something... It's probably very hard for these guys to control their emotions, and I understand why they would want to "retaliate" if they thought that someone purposely wrecked them. To me, "That's Racin". However, I do believe these guys should handle the confrontation elsewhere than on the track - do it in the pits after the race, or the next day or whatever. I know it's probably very hard for these guys to control their emotions, but they are putting other drivers/crewman/EMT's in danger and risking ruining other people's car who had nothing to do with the problem. I, for one, will probably never know the frustration these guys are going through when they are wrecked, so I don't want to speak for them. But I do think that these issues should be worked out elsewhere so they don't take out my fav drivers in the process.
But I'm still behind my point earlier that NASCAR missed their chance to park these guys and make a point. Points lost & a fine? Who cares? None of these guys are in the chase, so points don't matter. And money probably isn't a big deal to most of them either. Parking Robby Gordon probably wouldn't have caused a riot... But think of what would have happened if they parked NASCAR's new posterboy Kahne? We would have had thousands of teenage girls protesting!!! LOL
Ok, I'll shut up now... Y'all have a wonderful day!!
Posted by: Christina | Sep 20, 2005 9:26:00 AM
Keith - I agree with you. NASCAR DOES have the tools to end this crap. But, They certainly DO NOT have the balls to do it. The NHIS penalties proves that.
During the race, or should I say while these yellow flag tantrums were occurring this weekend, there was actually something said by either BP or BW (not sure which one) that I commend, and it made me think.
One of them said something to the effect of(an I'm paraphrasing here). Nothing is just an accident anymore. It's always deliberate now. When did this happen? This is racing, and accidents will happen, and IT IS NOT alway on purpose.
Well, I've been thinking the same think for weeks now. Are they that far behind the rest of us. These are the same kind of things, and questions that they should have been raising for weeks now.
I will say that I was finally glad to hear one of these commentators actually say this out loud on national tv. What took them so long. IMO, most of the media (Marty Smith, one that comes to mind) have been making excuses, and trying to find ways to justify this king of unprofessional behavior. Sadly, It's a shame that it will take someone getting seriously injured, or killed for them to stop doing it.
Posted by: Ann | Sep 20, 2005 9:42:22 AM
Yeah, those little 10-25K fines dont do jack. Points dont matter when your not in the chase either so what do they care?
Its round up here:
http://www.nascarforums.org/nascarblog/index.php?itemid=1083
Posted by: Jim | Sep 20, 2005 9:58:47 AM
Retaliation on the track is the wronged drivers only option. If he waits till after the race, patiently(Harvic/Biffle,Bristol), he's punished. If he calls him a @%#%$@%, he's punished. Get him on the track, while you can, or he;ll wredck you again next chance he gets. Let him know he can't do it and get away with it(Jarret/Newman). Until NASCAR gets as grip on these young guns who think they can run over people, and be protected from retaliation by NASCAR, its going to happen, and should.
Posted by: clay | Sep 20, 2005 10:10:40 AM
Okay Clay, I do see some of what you are saying. But, here's my problem with people only defending one side of that theory. Veteran drivers do make mistakes too! All Racecar drivers do.
IMO, I do not think that most of these "young guns" are purposely taking people out. They are learning, and trying to mature in this sport. Just like all of the Veterans did. Shouldn't they be given some leway, patience, and understanding?
I don't get why so many people think that it okay when a Veteran driver hits someone, or make mistakes, but when a young driver does it. It's careless, overly agressive, intentional, "running all over someone", and on purpose? That does not make sense to me. In fact, IMO, based on that logic. Veterans should not be intitled to any mistakes on the race track. Right?...... Why? Because they should know better. They have made all those mistakes by now, and should have learned from them. Right?
It's ridiculous! No one's going to buy that theory either.
Posted by: Ann | Sep 20, 2005 10:37:57 AM
I agree with Ann, both about the fact that now some of the drivers take accidents personally and that everybody makes mistakes. Jimmy Spencer earned a few points from me after he got bumped by Rusty and hit the wall. He was interviewed afterwards and said that he knew that Rusty just got loose and didn't hit him on purpose and that he knew that Rusty was trying to make up spots after going a lap down. Then Rusty had enough class to take the blame for running into Spencer and said that it was an accident but that he could have been more careful with Jimmy being on the outside.
Posted by: rustyfan | Sep 20, 2005 1:34:54 PM
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