Now I’m not going to call myself a mind reader, but chances are that since you are reading this wonderful website that you just might be a sports fan. And since you are a sports fan let me pose a question to you; what is it that you find so gripping about your favourite sport?
I’m just guessing here, but one of the things at the top of your list would be the emotion that sports carries – be it the fans, the players or even those fantastic folks that broadcast into your home. So what’s the deal with NASCAR?
The France family has done some fantastic things with our sport, in getting our races on television every week, and growing the brand to the point that you can stroll on down to your local Walmart to purchase your driver’s gear. They have sponsors lined up willing to put down millions every year to have their brand on your favorite drivers hood and create unreal brand loyalty.
With all things great, life has a funny way of balancing things out by throwing in some polar opposites. For me, with all the fantastic things going on in NASCAR, in my opinion the true emotion of our beloved drivers is what is lacking. Case in point, driver X finishes in 3rd place and following his great finish the question comes, “Tell us how things went out there to get you that 3rd place today, Driver X”. To which he (or Danica) responds “Well, I have to say that we had a strong day in the #(insert number) (insert sponsor) (insert car manufacture). The car ran great all day, our team really made the needed adjustments to make it work and the crew was fantastic on pit stops.” Back to the reporter – “Alright Driver X, thanks and congrats again on a great run….blah blah blah.”
You’re telling me that with the rubbing, racing and everything else going on out there that this is what drivers really feel after a race? Here is the problem – NASCAR has these drivers so worried about saying anything inappropriate, which could lead to a fine, docked points or suspension, that drivers are choosing to say nothing at all.
Just ask former champion and resident bad boy Kurt Busch, who you will recall was suspended for a race and fined $50,000 for losing his cool and saying some foul words to a reporter. I concede that he went overboard, but it’s nice seeing a guy let his emotions get the best of him.
I reminisce of the days past when Tony Stewart used to go off the deep end, curse, yell and complain about how driver X better get his stuff together and learn how to drive a car or he would give him a little lesson. I enjoyed listening in on Robby Gordon’s radio communications at Watkins Glen and tell his team, in not such a nice way, that it’s unacceptable to lose that many race positions on a damn pit stop. I like seeing a tussle between drivers after a crash and to hear guys not being shy in front of the media as they tell another driver what he should go and do with himself.
Kurt Busch has been put on probation through the rest of the season for some words that he said, which was followed by the owner of Phoenix Racing saying that he was going to put Busch on a race-by-race contract to see if things will work between them.
Oh, and while I’m at it, breaking news for you James Finch – nobody paid any attention to your team, including the cameras,over the last 19 years, except for the day that Keselowski wrecked Edwards to lead one lap and win at Talladega. Now, your media coverage has gone through the roof, so you must be pretty happy now that Busch used his emotions to help him lose his ride with Penske.
I know what the excuse is – the sponsors don’t like it, the publicity is bad for the sport. However, let’s not forget that the first ever nationally televised Daytona 500 back in ’79 wasn’t a success as a result of Richard Petty winning. Rather, we remember it because of Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison duking it out on the grass afterwards. Don’t get me wrong here, I’m not looking for NASCAR to become the WWE, but these guys run 400+ miles every Sunday with fear in the back of their minds as they head into every corner.
Please, NASCAR, let’s ease the fear these guys feel when talking to the reporters when races are finished.
End rant.
…and that is the Last Word.
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