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September 20, 2005
Who needs to take a seat?
At least one NASCAR official seems to have implied that parking an offending Nextel Cup driver was a real possibility in the tense hours after Sunday's Tough Man Contest at New Hampshire International Speedway. That was all conjecture, though, as the stock car racing company took the now-standard course and levied fines, docked points and put some members of the fraternity on double-secret probation.
They also reiterated that NASCAR will, in the future, do whatever it takes to ensure sanity and safety in such matters.
Well, all right. Their game, their show and so on.
So there's no point wondering further to whom NASCAR's Jim Hunter might have been referring when he told David Poole, Jim Utter and other reporters assembled at the track that weally sewious consequences awaited the wascally wong-doers.
But if it were up to us - if we wore the intwepid Hunter or Helton hat with the ear fwaps - where should we be aiming our twusty weapon?
Of the drivers making the headlines on Sunday, which one - or is it all of them? - should be parked? Kasey Kahne, Robby Gordon and Michael Waltrip are being penalized by NASCAR. It's fair to say that others might have deserved a little official attention, too.
None will miss a race because of his actions on Sunday. And some of us think somebody ought to be riding the pine. But who's it gonna be?
We should, of course, stop to consider that teams invest millions of dollars in people and equipment and more to make a Nextel Cup race. So, depriving them and their sponsors of a weekend's worth of TV exposure would be harsh treatment indeed.
Maybe even harsh enough to have legal consequences.
Never mind that some of the people we're talking about fail to qualify with some regularity and therefore already deprive their teams and sponsors of such opportunities.
The three guys bagged by NASCAR, and even Kyle Busch, are race winners. Scott Riggs, who made the first significant contribution to the day's decline, hasn't won a Cup race, but has performed well in other series.
And Kurt Busch? A champion. But how does that make him ringleader of a media circus - complete with official NASCAR escort - on pit road while a race is still being run?
September 20, 2005 in Racing | Permalink
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Comments
Gotta be the 3600lb road ragers. It shows not only disreguard for the safety of track workers and other drivers. But a complete disdain of NASCARS authority as the governing body. While Gordon didn't have the car to retaliate with, his ontrack display also endangered him and potentially a safety worker distracted by his shinanigans. Those are the parkable ones. The naughty words and gestures dont influence the race or safety of the event so fines should do.
Posted by: Keith | Sep 20, 2005 11:34:29 AM
They should have parked Robby Gordon for at least a race(preferably the last nine).They need a sacrificial lamb and he is the most likely to receive the unlucky dog "do not pass" award.
Robby drives like a jerk and claims it's just hard racin'. Waltrip or someone else was bound to take revenge for his past actions. On the plus side for him, it would save his team money. However, NASCAR doesn't have the guts (think sponsors) to sit one of their elite Cup drivers. The monetary fines are too small. Make it $100K and you might get their attention.
Kahne will soon learn he can't get by on looks as a poster child for NASCAR. Yes, he can drive, but immaturity will mess him up.
If any further actions like last weekends occur during the Chase, NASCAR should crack the whip. Endangering track safety personnel is not acceptable. Well, Thanks for letting me vent.
Posted by: Bill | Sep 20, 2005 11:50:22 AM
Yeah... I am a hot shot driver, I make couple a mil a year.....Boy, a $25,000 fine and some points taken away scare me to death....
Go NASCAR...show everybody how tough you are.
Posted by: caesar001 | Sep 20, 2005 12:12:57 PM
What happened to the Bill France Sr. philosophy that drivers are expendable and the show will go on? Basically Kahne and Gordon in particular, slapped Nascar in the face in front of the World and they did nothing about it. I figured to save face they would atleast park Gordon after his antics two weeks in a row. Unbelievable. Is this a sign that the drivers are getting bigger than the sport?
Posted by: Michael | Sep 20, 2005 12:52:18 PM
I hate to say it, but if Kahne (or some other popular driver)hadn't been one of the two drivers using their cars as weapons, NASCAR would have most likely parked Robby Gordon just to show they are serious. NASCAR would get way too much bad PR if they had parked Kahne, so their hands were tied by the sponsers and fans. I would really believe that if it had been Robby and someone like Jimmy Spencer, they would have been parked. Just my $.02
Posted by: Brandon | Sep 20, 2005 1:21:44 PM
These boards are a good example as to why your average sports fan is an idiot. "NASCAR should do this" and "NASCAR should do that". My God people, don't you like that there's finally some life in these drivers?!?! Everybody complains about how boring racing has become, how over-legistlated. Now, BOOM, everyone wants NASCAR to step in and trample what little life is left? Give me a break!
Another thing, stop all this talk that NASCAR has integrity and should be respected blah blah blah. NASCAR is the biggest money-whore sports has ever seen and will sell their soul(if they really had one) for a nickel. All the sponsors own NASCAR and Brian France knows it. Why do think there's a Chase?
Posted by: Dave | Sep 20, 2005 2:21:23 PM
Brandon, I think you have hit it square on the head. Robby alone would have been parked. With Kahne, NASCAR couldn't park one without the other, and Kahne is too well connected to be parked. Robby picked a good day to act up this time.
Dave, I tend to agree. I happen to like Robby and I may be one of the few that like the idea that he is trying to make a go of a single car team. (Thought he was an owner/driver, but Jim Smith is listed as the owner.) In any case, I really like his lone wolf approach, and I like his willingness to say what's on his mind. NASCAR needs people like R.Gordon, and they need a Kahne and a Jarrett to occasionally step out of character and mete out some schoolyard justice.
As for NASCAR being a money-whore - I agree that it is more about the entertainment than it is about racing these days.
Posted by: BARman | Sep 20, 2005 2:31:37 PM
"We should, of course, stop to consider that teams invest millions of dollars in people and equipment and more to make a Nextel Cup race. So, depriving them and their sponsors of a weekend's worth of TV exposure would be harsh treatment indeed."
A couple of years ago Nascar sat out Kevin Harvick during a Nextel cup race for actions committed during a Busch race. These guys do the same or worst and aren't penalized as harshly?
Posted by: Rich | Sep 20, 2005 2:36:50 PM
NASCAR's first mistake was penalizing Dale Jarret 2 laps for the Ryan Newman incident when he was already down so many laps there was no hope for him. All that showed was the weakness of the NASCAR backbone. He should have been fined points and money. That way this week they could have sat drivers out for a week or two without controversy and with a strong backbone.
I will give NASCAR their props though. The red flag to cool off tempers was a very good decision. Let's hope that NASCAR continues to get stronger each week with keeping the drivers in check. I love NASCAR because it is the only sport that keeps a clean appearance to the public. Let's hope they can keep it up!
Posted by: Sue | Sep 20, 2005 2:57:34 PM
dave it wasnt us who came out ranting and raving about agressive driving, retaliations, etc. if you used your brain and thought you would remember that it was nascar who in the last few weeks has consistently said they were not going to tolerate it and as early as sunday night said that they would start parking people for crap like what happened in the race. me personally i think it is kind of nice to see people get angry but it was nascar officials who first started making a stink about it. if they are gonna talk the talk (i.e. talking about parking people ) then they need to walk the walk. by not suspending anyone they showed that they are all talk and no action. dont you think its funny that it was such a big deal to them that the punishments came out last night rather than today like they usually do? all talk no action!
Posted by: misterschmo | Sep 20, 2005 2:57:54 PM
Everyone wants to park these guys that fought back. What about the guys that wrecked these guys in the first place? (I think Michael was ok with what he did - I think Robby did it to himself). All through this year, guys have wrecked others and knocked it off to "just racin". Going in a turn and loosing it is one thing but this year just think of how many cars have been picked up from behind? Jr has done to at least 3 other cars this year. Whenever drivers have more fear in spinning our other cars than they do now, that's when we ill have more clean racing.
Posted by: rj | Sep 20, 2005 2:58:54 PM
i agree that if NASCAR had shown some cahones (sp?) and parked dale jarrett for the rest of the bristol race and fined him for his retaliation then you probably would not have seen some of the things that happened on sunday. NASCAR likes to put up a big front to the public but cowers behind the scenes. Now drivers know that they can cuss on national tv, throw helmets at other cars on the track and intentionally try to wreck someone and all youll get is a slap on the wrist. kahne doesnt care about points or money, hes not even in the top 20 this year. what do points do to him. robby gordon was so far back in the standings after the wreck that he knew there was nothing more that nascar could do to him and frankly didnt care. MY OPINION.... they should penalize drivers by making them start from the last position at the next race.
Posted by: MISTERSCHMO | Sep 20, 2005 3:13:00 PM
MY OPINION.... they should penalize drivers by making them start from the last position at the next race.
LOL
You have your QUALIFIERS,
your PROVISIONALS,
and your DETENTION starters!
With one spot left for a former champ not otherwise qualified!
You might even have the Lucky Thug Award to go with the Ballpark Lucky Dog.
Posted by: BARman | Sep 20, 2005 3:19:18 PM
Have to love BARman's idea -- especially since it's my week to supervise morning detention here at the high school. What a fun way to spend 0700-0740 hours.
Posted by: David Green | Sep 20, 2005 4:37:46 PM
One correction to what"Rich" added: "Nascar sat out Kevin Harvick during a Nextel cup race for actions committed during a Busch race."
Untrue, Harvick committed the offense during the weekends CTS event. Then had to sit out the follow on Cup event at Martinsville. (http://www.thatsracin.com/mld/thatsracin/3058417.htm)
As seen in the link provided there has been a precedent for "parking" (an official NASCAR term BTW) a driver for offenses committed.
Both Kahne and Gordon deserved to be parked. Kahne for the retaliation and Gordon for first backing into the line of traffic under caution and then walking into traffic. The monetary fine would be sufficiant penalty for the language.
Posted by: Marc | Sep 20, 2005 7:09:41 PM
Nascar needs to decide if it wants to be Disney on Wheels or racing. While they publicly deplore the actions of certain drivers on the track, they are privately smirking about the free publicity they got during all the replays on every sports show across the country. In the middle of their 'racertainment',a stock car race broke out. My prediction is a huge ratings bump for the next race. Nascar will claim it's because fans LOVE the crapshoot. I say it's because fans will watch, hoping the emotions get fired up again. The hypocracy is astounding.
Posted by: sal | Sep 20, 2005 9:55:21 PM
Personally I think Dale Jarret should have been parked for at least one race for his incident, which was under green if I remember correctly. I was also thinking that points aren't THAT important for non Chase drivers, so how about penalizing points for next season. That might make them think a little harder before acting out.
Posted by: Ben | Sep 21, 2005 7:41:36 AM
You tell 'em Dave. They finally show some emotion and everybody gets all worked up about what to do about it. You all need to read Tom Huggins post. Those were just the top ten, there were lots of others that aren't mentioned. Sundays antics were pretty much schoolyard stuff. Let 'em go and show some nads and everybody wants to beat it back down. I personally wouldn't mind seeing some more emotion from drivers. I miss the old "rivalry" (Pearson/Petty, Earnhardt/Wallace, Waltrip/Everybody) days.
Greg. (Not old but old enough to remember tire tools in the pits!)
Posted by: Greg | Sep 21, 2005 10:07:23 AM
Now, lets all just be glad that Helton gave such a stern warning to the drivers before today's event. *shaking finger, slapping wrists*
Posted by: CJ | Sep 26, 2005 12:27:24 AM
You said it Dave. I miss the old days to. Now days it is pretty much cars goin round and round in circles. But hey the baseball playoffs are starting, football is here. Im happy
Posted by: Chris | Sep 26, 2005 9:28:25 AM
Throwing helmets and bumper cars is totally uncalled for. There's people on the track. Car rolling by 40,60,80mph that helmet bouncing off a car could injure someone seriously. That isnt wasnt and never has been real racing. That baby games.
Posted by: scott | Sep 27, 2005 7:32:25 PM
I don't care if it was Junior and Jeff Gordon that acted up at Loudon, NASCAR set the precedent this season for doing nothing to the guys who retaliate and they should stick to it. They have a habit of changing the rules in the middle of the game and that is BS.
If they parked Kahne or Robby, they should have gone back and parked every retaliator for the whole year, bar none. It also should not matter what kind of retaliation went done. You park Robby for his, you gotta park Kahne for his, too.
Posted by: Carrie | Oct 1, 2005 11:49:58 PM
Yeah, Dave got it right when he mentioned the sponsors and who is really running the asylum. How else do you explain the presence of the #32 Tide Ride on the track Sunday at T'dega? Hermie made the race and Hamilton Jr. didn't, but because Tide wanted their logo on TV Hermie got to laugh all the way to the bank with their cash and Hamilton Jr. did his usual stellar job of staying out of everyone's way. Nice job, NASCAR.
Posted by: Brian Stutchman | Oct 5, 2005 6:24:00 AM
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