February 1, 2010
By Matthew Pizzolato
Matthew Pizzolato
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In order to revive the waning interest in its racing, NASCAR needs personality among its drivers, not politically correct drones to parade around the track in circles. It needs its drivers to be real people with whom fans can identify.
Stock car racing exploded onto the national scene after the 1979 Daytona 500 and the resulting fistfight involving Donnie and Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough after the cars spun to a stop in the infield grass on the final lap. It was this fight that thrust stock car racing into the national spotlight and made NASCAR into what it is today.
It may be interesting to note that although it was talked about among officials, none of the three participants in the brawl were fined or suspended for their actions, something that would be unbelievable if such a fight were to occur today. It must have been NASCAR's way of saying thanks.
Rivalries have always been a part of NASCAR history. The Earnhardt – Gordon feud of the early '90s comes to mind as the last true rivalry. Dale Earnhardt represented the old school driver, and Jeff Gordon burst onto the scene as the new breed. It represented two different slices of Americana and fans took sides, tuning in each week for the latest installment.
Longtime Earnhardt fans had hoped the Dale Earnhardt Jr. would carry on the feud, but that hope faded when Earnhardt Jr. signed with Hendrick Motorsports and became Jeff Gordon's teammate.
There have been a lot of squabbles on the race track between different drivers recently, but NASCAR always heads off any potential feud before it can develop by fining drivers and docking points. It would seem that NASCAR has penalized itself in the process and now they are reaping the rewards with declining ratings, although they have shown signs of relaxing their rigid stance. The recent altercations between Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin in the Nationwide series at the end of last season come to mind.
Certainly, foul language and reckless driving should not be encouraged, but NASCAR officials have stated recently that they want drivers to "be themselves."
Perhaps Felix Sabates, part owner of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing said it best, albeit in a joking manner.
"We need to give these guys boxing gloves and let them go beat up each other. That would sell tickets," Sabates was quoted as saying in a David Caraviello article on nascar.com. "I love it. Let them go beat up somebody. Be competitive and have some fire. I'm friendly with 99 percent of drivers, but some are so vanilla, I want to thank everybody back at the shop. You don't have the ... free spirit of Kyle Petty. You don't have those guys anymore. You had guys who were good drivers and sold tickets. Ernie Irvan was one of those. A loud-mouthed obnoxious SOB, but people loved Ernie Irvan. Davey Allison was a feisty mother, and those guys aren't around anymore. You've got Kyle Busch. And maybe this new kid Keselowski. Name me another."
In recent times, NASCAR officials have frowned upon drivers who retaliate on the track for being wrecked. Perhaps a lot of it has to do with the new era of political correctness and having to adhere to professional conduct because of sponsorship, but none the less, drivers who intentionally wreck another car are subject to hefty fines and other penalties.
Maybe it is this area that NASCAR should gradually back off in its over policing of the sport. No one wants to see a driver injured because someone's flaring temper, but something that happens after the race is over, on the cool down lap or on pit road after the race shouldn't be penalized as heavily as it has been in the past.
NASCAR officials have made a lot of changes recently in an attempt to revive their declining television ratings and dropping ticket sales. The rule changes made should help to improve their on track product, but perhaps officials have been looking in the wrong direction.
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