Give Me Five
March 13, 2008
By Arianne Hegeman

1. In today’s NASCAR, it seems that only the politically correct have a right to voice an opinion.  During this week’s edition of the SPEED channel’s “Victory Lane”, certain television personalities  declared Tony Stewart as a whiner who should have been happy to finish 2^nd at Atlanta.  The individuals went on to state that the tires were not an issue during competition and because the compounds are safer, there is no reason to complain.  In the very next segment, clips of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon mirrored Stewart’s comments, of course, in a more diplomatic manner. Gordon expressed his exhaustion, feeling as if he was going to wreck on every lap.  Dale Jr. commented on how the manufacturer markings were still on his tires after 20 some laps.  After Earnhardt Jr. and Gordon’s playbacks, those same television personalities agreed that there was a definite tire issue at Atlanta.

So which one is it guys? 

The words within each driver’s interview may have changed dramatically but the message was the same. Some may argue that Stewart has brought this kind of treatment on himself.  It is obvious that Stewart does not know how to beat around the bush (not counting Kurt). Despite decade-long efforts from NASCAR and his sponsors, Stewart cannot and will not change who he is. Some race fans admire him for that while others believe he lacks the restraint that his professional status requires.

Regardless of who delivers the message, when dealing with sponsorship issues of any kind, the situation is always sensitive. But this does not mean that competition and safety concerns should not be addressed when it comes to series supporters.  Sunoco should be held accountable for water in gas tanks and Goodyear should be responsible for the quality of their tires. The compound at Atlanta this past weekend was a disappointment; ask any driver who cares more about competition than the thickness of their race team’s wallet.    

2. Robby Gordon’s infractions from Daytona were overturned this past week.  An outcome that was not typical from the sanctioning body.  His chances were slim and he beat the odds.  The #64 Nationwide series race team’s penalties were also rescinded the week before last.  Will this become more prevalent in NASCAR or were the circumstances the only determining factor?

3.  It may be still be six months away but I’m already thinking about this year’s Chase for the Championship.  The more I think about it, there really needs to be a road course and at least one more short track event somewhere included in the last ten events.  The current format features half of the last ten races at one and half mile tracks. Move a few of those intermediate tracks out of the last half of the season and we may see more parity in our sport’s championship format.  America’s most popular spectator sport should crown the most talented and versatile of drivers in the Sprint Cup Series, not just the guys who fare well at intermediate tracks.

4.  Kyle Busch scored the first Sprint Cup victory for Toyota this past weekend and he was the first driver to win in the Car of Tomorrow last year at Bristol.  He is making a name for himself in the “first” department.  In addition, he was also the youngest driver to collect a win in the Cup series. Does that make him the driver of the future for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series?

5.  The IROC series auctioned off equipment and other assets this past week in New Jersey.  Imagine having one of Earnhardt’s IROC cars sitting in your garage.  It’d be interesting to see who was able to away with such treasures.  I will miss the series immensely and wish things had gone differently for Jay and Barbara Signore.  Thanks for the memories.

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