By Rebecca Gladden

November 14, 2004

When does the sanctioning body of a major motorsport decide that it's time to allow hard liquor sponsorship of it's race cars?

Apparently, when the spirits move them.

Just five months ago, NASCAR refused a request by British alcohol distributing company Diageo to sponsor Roush Racing's 99 car. Diageo is the name behind many popular brands of distilled alcohol, including Smirnoff, Johnny Walker, Bailey's, Captain Morgan and Cuervo.

In explaining the June decision, NASCAR President Mike Helton stated, "Although we understand the sponsorship situation with the Number 99 entry, it is very unlikely at this time that we would change such a long-standing policy for this instance." The ban against hard liquor sponsorships had been in place almost as long as anyone could remember.

However, the sanctioning body Wednesday reversed it's decision, opting to permit the hard liquor sponsorships that it had denied just months earlier. "We felt the time was right to allow distilled spirits companies into NASCAR," Helton announced yesterday. "Attitudes have changed, and spirits companies have a long record of responsible advertising."

Have attitudes really changed that much since June? No. In fact, this decision simply aligns NASCAR's thinking with a majority of observers who didn't understand the last one.

There are three main categories of alcoholic drinks - beer, wine and distilled spirits or hard liquor. The beer category also includes malts, lagers and ales.

The alcohol content of beer is approximately 3-6% by volume, while grain drinks such as malt beverages are slightly higher. The natural fermentation process produces an alcohol level no greater than 14%, which is the alcohol content of most wines.

Distillation, however, can produce much higher alcohol contents. In the distilling process, liquids are heated and the resulting steam is captured and cooled, producing beverages with a higher relative concentration of alcohol. The more a liquid is distilled, the higher the concentration of alcohol becomes. Distilled spirits or hard liquors include scotch, bourbon, rum, vodka, and brandy. Alcohol contents of distilled beverages can approach 100%, although most hard liquors are around 50% alcohol by volume.

Ironically, a typical serving size of any of the beverage types yields approximately the same amount of alcohol. For example, a 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, and a regular shot of hard liquor are all roughly equivalent in terms of alcohol content.

I spoke today with bar owner Jaina Oliver in Phoenix, Arizona, and asked about the different types of alcoholic beverages. She explained that hard liquor is generally consumed in a mixed drink rather than a shot, so the relative alcohol content can be controlled by the person preparing it; the alcohol content of beer or malt liquors, on the other hand, is predetermined. Additionally, most people drink beer faster than they do mixed drinks, so they are likely to absorb more alcohol in a shorter period of time.

"The bottom line," Oliver stated, "is that they will all get you drunk."

The fact is that NASCAR already has cars sponsored by Budweiser, Miller, and Coors brand beers. Additionally, Roush Racing's 17 car is partially sponsored by Smirnoff Ice, a malt liquor product from Diageo.

In June, NASCAR stated that part of the reason for maintaining the hard liquor ban was because of a decades-old voluntary agreement to keep hard liquor ads off TV. However, nothing about this agreement has changed since June.

Further, many observers believe that NASCAR upheld the ban because of concerns about it's image as a family sport. In light of the alcohol facts presented above, this simply cannot be the case.

If family values were really at the core of this issue, NASCAR would ban alcohol sponsorships. Period.

Most children don't know or care about the difference between Smirnoff Ice and Smirnoff Vodka, or the difference between non-distilled and distilled beverages.

In fact, teenage drinkers prefer beer to hard liquor because it is comparatively cheaper and easier to obtain. A 1999 study by the Harvard School for Public Health found that underage drinkers were nine times more likely to drink beer than other alcoholic beverages.

NASCAR's most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., is sponsored by Budweiser. Every race makes reference to his Budweiser Chevy or to Rusty Wallace's Miller Lite Dodge. The fastest Nextel Cup qualifier each week receives the Bud(weiser) Pole Award ... even rookie Brian Vickers received the award while under the legal drinking age.

Furthermore, several NASCAR drivers appear in other racing series with hard liquor sponsors, most notably the IROC (International Race of Champions) series sponsored by Crown Royal. Less than two weeks ago, Cup driver Matt Kenseth (whose 17 car coincidentally bears the Smirnoff Ice decal), won the IROC championship and was pictured in Victory Lane surrounded by - and wearing - the Crown Royal brand name and logo.

Chances are if you agreed with the hard liquor ban in June, you are upset by this reversal. And if you disagreed with the decision in June, you are confused by the illogic of Wednesday's announcement, since nothing of significance has changed in the past five months.

One of the ongoing criticisms of NASCAR has been a lack of logic and consistency in their decisions and rulings.

This decision will do nothing to alter that perception.

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.