How many sports leagues actively attempt to muzzle and censor their athletes? The NFL may come to mind, or even the NBA or NHL. But when it comes to motorsports, the plate has been relatively clean on such issues, as NASCAR abides to their “boys have at it” montra, and even Formula One has opened up more to the media in recent years. Meanwhile, today IndyCar swung the door shut yesterday, throwing down a gag order on IndyCar competitor negative comments, under the power of Rule 9.3.8, Detrimental Competitor Conduct.
Under the new rule, any disparaging comments by any competitor in the Verizon IndyCar Series, whether about a fellow driver, official, sponsor, television partner, racetrack, or the series itself, may be subject to penalty from the league. Series leader Mark Miles promised these reforms after the majority negative comments following the tight racing at Auto Club Speedway in June, and likely only further pushed on by the argument that persisted after the race at Iowa Speedway between Ed Carpenter and Sage Karam. While a statement from the league offers the comfort that those types of altercations would not be penalized, would not the threat of crossing a line for drivers limit them subliminally?
The new rule will not only impact drivers, but teams and the media as well. Almost instantly the stance of any competitor in the IndyCar Series on any issue, matter, etc. must be neutral or positive, at least in public and in print. Questions that the media can ask the drivers and teams will likely also be limited, as it seems unlikely that hot button issues such as the short schedule, pack racing, and the Chevy-Honda engine battle can be honestly discussed as had been previously.
Fans of the series and the racing are likely not to take the rule kindly either. When motorsports has been largely open and honest with its fans, IndyCar is handicapping such efforts. Every team, competitor, and owner in the series is entitled to their opinion, regardless of what Mark Miles and the league believe. As has been exemplified by NASCAR, allowing drivers to develop their own personas, rivalries, and opinions does not only further themselves and their teams, but the series as a whole. Consider what would have happened if NASCAR had not allowed Tony Stewart to speak his mind, would he have grown into the NASCAR champion and team owner we see today? Only time will tell if this new rule will drastically change the relationships between drivers, teams, the series, the media, and most importantly, the fans, as well as how this rule will ultimately be enforced.
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