July 31, 2007 — Lighten Up, NASCAR

Penalties are too harsh in the name of political correctness.

This blog entry should probably be one word in length. That one word would be the same word that NASCAR fined Tony Stewart $25,000 and 25 championship
points for using during a television interview following his Brickyard 400 victory.

Yes, those penalties are consistent with those levied against Dale Earnhardt, Jr. two years ago when he used a similar word during an on-air interview, but as Stewart would say, those penalties were ----------, too.

Was Stewart’s use of that word necessary? Probably not. But was it offensive enough to produce such a harsh penalty? Not on your life. To me it's not as
offensive as the innuendo used in commercials advertising Allstate which feature Kasey Kahne or the victory lane antics – eh, mating ritual – of a certain Craftsman Truck Series driver and his wife after one of his frequent victories.

The monetary fine doesn’t bother me. It’s the 25 points that do. While that penalty is unlikely to affect Stewart because of NASCAR’s Chase format, it still penalizes the entire team. What bothers me most, though, is where is it going to end? Will drivers someday have to sign a release form to have their spines removed before they are allowed to compete in NASCAR events? I know that’s extreme, but we need to bring a little personality back to this sport. Heaven forbid if A.J. Foyt were competing in NASCAR.

Oh, and there’s the issue of the double standard. There were no fines levied when Kyle Petty dropped the F-Bomb during the TNT telecast from Sonoma. Yes,
he was in the car, but it still made the air and it was still a bad word.

The bottom line is the PC (Politically Correct) Police stink…

July 24, 2007 - DEI Move Will Have Impact

Drivers, crew members may be shuffling.

With Dale Earnhardt Incorporated’s purchase of Ginn Racing, it will very likely leave some very talented drivers and crew members looking for jobs with other teams.

While DEI is expected to acquire the services of some of the Ginn Racing crew members, most are looking for work. DEI, by adding the No. 01 car for Mark Martin and Aric Almirola, grows from three cars to four cars. The team already had the personnel for its three-car operation with Paul Menard, Martin Truex, Jr. and Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

The deal also gives DEI a new Mooresville, N.C. race shop and owner points to transfer to the car driven by Menard.

However, left waiting in the wings are veteran racers Sterling Marlin and Joe Nemechek, who were ushered out of Ginn Racing last week, and a host of up and comers that were on the Ginn Racing roster.

Regan Smith, who was to take over the No. 14 at Indianapolis, appears to be left without a ride. That’s a quick rise and fall for a young racer to go from part-time Cup racer to full-time Cup racer to the unemployment line within a week’s time.

2005 Knoxville Nationals champion Kraig Kinser was under a driver-development contract with Ginn competing in the Craftsman Truck Series. His future is not known at this point, nor is the status of his fellow Ginn Racing development drivers, Ricky Carmichael and Jesus Hernandez.

Another thing to consider, is the fact Ginn Racing has been leasing engines (and other support) from Hendrick Motorsports, and now the team enters the DEI fold, with DEI having recently entered a long-term contract with Richard Childress Racing to combine resources in the engine department.

Lots of things to consider.

July 17, 2007 — Force Will Win His 15th Title

And someone should give Swindell a ride for Knoxville

So, let’s make a secret little bet. No money. No beer. Just between you and me. My bet is that despite a horrible start to a season that has included tragedy and change, that John Force will win his 15th NHRA Funny Car championship.

The old John Force has been back the past two events. Only an overzealous red light in the final round at Bandimere Speedway kept him from his second-straight victory, and The Countdown to the Championship is going to playing perfectly into Force’s hands.

Force jumped from 14th to ninth in the standings and is only 16 points — one round —behind Cruz Pedregon for the eighth and final position in The Countdown. He will certainly make up that round and four during the next four races before The Countdown begins at Indy Labor Day weekend.

With the points for the top eight reset at 10 point intervals following the event at Maple Grove Raceway in August, even if Force finishes eighth, he will start the final six-race run only 70 points — instead of the 424 he currently trails by — behind the leader. That’s a little more than one round per week.

Add to that the competitiveness of the Funny Car division and how difficult it has been to qualify for races this year, and one might say that Force has the competition right where he wants it. In any event, I’ll bet a POWERade he wins title No. 15.

• We saw where Rusty Wallace, Inc. has released crew chief Bryant Frazier, who has prepared the speedy Dodges driven by Steven Wallace this season. We felt it was a fitting end for Frazier since he was clearly the one that has bounced the No. 66 off of one wall or another all season. A statement from Rusty Wallace said it “was a performance-based decision.” Well, in that case while looking for a permanent replacement for Frazier, maybe the team should seek a crew chief that can also turn the steering wheel to the left.

• Also saw that Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches will sponsor Kenny Wallace at Gateway this weekend. Makes one wonder if Wallace will talk with his mouth full?

• Finally, it’s a little sad to see Sammy Swindell working as a driving coach for World of Outlaws shoe Sam Hafertepe, Jr. While Sammy is sometimes difficult to deal with, he is one of the best and most exciting drivers this sport has ever seen. It would be nice to see Hafertepe put Swindell in a second car for the Knoxville Nationals.

For that matter it would be nice to see any top-flight team hire Swindell to steer a second entry. And come to think of it, kind of crazy not to give yourself a second chance to win the biggest race of the season. Hmmm. How about Sammy in a second Steve Kinser Racing entry? Yeah, I know, but I’d like to have a piece of the souvenir sales for that one.

July 11, 2007 — Hornish, Sr. Deserved Harsher Punishment

The IRL should have made a statement for all of us.

I have no doubt that Sam Hornish, Sr. is a nice man and there is no question he did a fine job in raising his son, Indy 500 winner Sam, Jr., but as troubling as we found his involvement in the crazy post-race shenanigans at Watkins Glen on Sunday, the IRL’s slap on the wrist to the elder Hornish is even more appalling.

Why?

It’s simple. The behavior of parents at racing events, soccer games, hockey games, baseball games and so on gets worse all the time. Kids do not fight their own battles anymore. Parents fight them for them. And it’s as apparent in auto racing as in other sports.

It’s not the least bit uncommon for parents — fathers and mothers alike — to tangle at short track races, including go karts, Legends cars and right on through late models and sprint cars. We’ve even seen parents confront pre-teen race drivers that had on-track encounters with their sons or daughters.

The IRL had the perfect chance to prove a point to racers, athletes and parents throughout the sports world that this behavior is unacceptable and it avoided the situation. Should Sam Hornish, Sr. be made a scapegoat for his part in one — while it be highly publicized — incident? Probably not. But somebody somewhere has to stand up against this type of behavior. And at some point fathers and mothers have to let their kids become men and women.

While the other penalties levied to those involving the fight seemed on target, a one-race suspension from pit lane for helping to trigger a brawl, seems inadequate.

But maybe that’s a thank you for all of the dubious press coverage the IRL received from the fight.