June 19, 2007
By Brian Watkins

Brian Watkins

I've written in previous columns about how ridiculous it is for NASCAR to maintain it's top 35 provisionals. Many of you have agreed that the policy is unneeded and hurts smaller teams and artificially determines the starting line-up. While I'll generally write about an issue and let it go, this week I'm writing about it again because this week, it's personal.

While I write about NASCAR and follow the action on and off the track, I actually only have the opportunity to go to races a few times a year. One of those races is the Fathers Day race at Michigan. I like this race for many reasons. First of all, we always have great seats. Other reasons I love the race at Michigan is because it's close to home and MIS is the first track I ever saw "big league" racing. When I was a kid, my father was on the fire crew at MIS for the open wheel races. The first race I attended that wasn't a short track event was the inaugural Michigan 500. It was quite an impressive introduction to pro racing for a young kid. I got to walk the pits before the race and actually got to meet, my then favorite driver, Johnny Rutherford. Well that was quite a few years ago but MIS is still a special place for me, every time I'm there I still recall the awe I felt as a little guy.

My wife and I have been looking forward to this year's race for quite a while, and for an early Fathers Day present she and the kids got me a new Dale Jarrett shirt to wear to the race. Can you tell where I'm going with this? That's right, my driver, the one I only get to watch turn laps a few times a year, qualified 44th for the Michigan race. So I got to sit in the stands proudly sporting my new #44 gear, and he's not even there.

Am I upset that he didn't drive faster? Kind of. However I'm more upset that NASCAR's top 35 policy kept him off the track. Yeah, he's not doing well this season and yes, he, being a past champion, should be coming in a lot further up on the list than he has been. But the fact of the matter is that he qualified faster than Tony Stewart did, but Stewart is on the track Sunday and DJ isn't.

I've got nothing against Tony; it just frustrates me that even though he had a slower car he's racing and my driver is spending Sunday cleaning the pool. If I'm frustrated by this, I can only imagine how the Michael Waltrip fans, (those who will admit being Waltrip fans anyway) are feeling. Though he qualified a respectable 18th, the top 35 rule has kept him out of more races than his lack of speed has, and it's getting old.

Of course it's selfish of me to write about this subject simply because it was my driver who didn't make the cut this week. But at the same time how long can NASCAR maintain their fake running order before fans get fed up? If I was a Stewart fan would I be happy to see him on the track? Of course I would, especially if I was in the stands and paid for a ticket. But knowing he didn't earn that spot wouldn't sit well with me either. Sometimes even the big guys need to sit one out if they aren't "on" that day. The top 35 provisional is like having an affirmative action program for rich white people. It makes no sense.

The thoughts and ideas expressed by this writer or any other writer on Insider Racing News, are not necessarily the views of the staff and/or management of IRN.