By Lynne Pavy

September 29, 2004

Are we really surprised at the antics of Robby Gordon at New Hampshire? Or about Tony Stewart playing a little NASCAR tag back with Robby at Dover? Most of us seasoned fans are not, we have seen such behavior many times before. We can blame it solely on those two guys, in particular, being hot heads and say they should have had to park their cars. That should stop that sort of behavior, right? After all, who wants to be driving at 180+ miles an hour with someone like that on the track? I, however, do not believe this will work at all.

Let’s take a look at what it takes to be on that track with 42 other guys going 180+ mph in the first place. No, I do not have a PhD in psychology, but I do have a degree from the School of Life in the study of Adrenaline Junkies, as coined by my mother, a reformed adrenaline junkie herself.

An adrenaline junkie is someone who lives for that rush of adrenaline one feels when in a life-or-death situation. Pretty self explanatory. Most adrenaline junkies seek jobs in the emergency profession such as paramedics, police officers, and fire and rescue and, combined with the occasional vacation involving life threatening situations like rappelling down mountains or sky diving, find this satisfactory.

There is the rare closet junkie such as your local librarian that spends almost every weekend snow boarding, swimming with sharks, or scaling live volcanoes, but these are more rare. Then we have the extremists who actually make their living by doing life threatening stunts for television, hunting crocodiles, or racing cars.

Adrenaline junkies usually tend to be more excitable, their emotions closer to the surface. Even the rest of us who live mundane lives with very little cause for an adrenaline to course through our veins can get quick to snap or lash out when irritated or aggravated during an adrenaline and lose touch with such simple components as common sense. What is a race but a four hour adrenaline high?

I, along with everyone else watching the New Hampshire race, was screaming at the television, partly at the obvious intention, partly at the unfortunate side effects, but also at the audacity of Robby announcing over the NASCAR-official-monitored radio that he was going to get him [Biffle]. In reality, who hasn’t said they were going to get someone who we felt has wronged us? Actually doing it on the other hand…

Yesterday at Dover, there wasn’t much doubt that Tony was showing his appreciation for the previous week when he came, er, knocking on Robby’s door. But, fortunately, he didn’t announce it over the radio.

Here’s where my second point comes in. These drivers in the midst of an adrenaline rush, their emotions are running rampant, they are easily angered and not so easily soothed. In these conditions, who isn’t prone to acts of retaliation? Matt Kenseth who is usually described with the three C’s, calm, cool, and collected, not to mention consistent, has acted, well, stupid when in the height of adrenaline and was severely disappointed by another driver, and we all know Kevin Harvick has a fiery temper and will often confront his perceived attacker.

Now, who is the one person these driver’s listen to while in their cars for advice and counseling?

Their crew chiefs.

I know the media does not air the entire conversation between the crew chiefs and the drivers when these situations arise, they may be fined for actions detrimental to stock car racing if they did, but are the crew chiefs really trying to talk reason to the drivers? Are the crew chiefs keeping their heads or are they getting caught up in the moment of the adrenaline and wanting to go after the offending culprit also? Are they playing buddy and simply vindicating their driver’s feelings or are they actively trying to calm them down and inform them of the consequences of their actions, or reactions?

By now, everyone should realize the penalty of intentionally spinning someone out, or intentionally spinning themselves out (thank you Little E), or of waiting until getting off the track for a little display of pugilism (hem, hem Kevin and Jimmy Spencer). The intention of these acts, except the off-track vigilante justice, would all be in the eye of beholder and unable to be proved if the driver’s didn’t announce it over the radio.

We all know the crews and crew chiefs get just as angry and revenge-seeking on occasions as their drivers, as displayed many times by pit road squabbles, and although highly entertaining for us fans and viewers, this may only help to encourage the drivers in their pay-back mentality. I am not blaming the crew chiefs for the actions of the drivers, not by any means. The drivers just need someone to play the angel on their shoulder and be the voice of reason, whether it be the crew chief, the owner, or a completely different party. The spotter, of course, is too busy watching for wrecks and telling the driver where the other cars are to be playing psychiatrist. Perhaps, the owner would be the best choice, a threat of being fired in their ear if they go retaliate should definitely get their attention and snap them back to reality, although the owners are not at every race and consistency could be important in who’s voice listen to.

Since having elevator music or babbling brook sounds piped into their cars, or having an I.V. of Risperdal, is not feasible, my only suggestion is improving the calming capabilities of the crew chiefs. Do I think they should all run out and get a degree in psychology? No, who has the time? Just show some restraint and for God’s sake, if your driver announces the intent of revenge, tell him NO!!!!!!

You can contact Lynne at.. Insider Racing News

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. Although we may not always agree with what is said, we do feel it's our duty to give a voice to those who have something relevant to say about the sport of auto racing.