The Frontstretch Newsletter: November 10th, 2010
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Nov 10, 2010, 3:34:14 AM11/10/10
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THE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
November 10th, 2010
Volume IV, Edition CCXLVIX
~~~~~~~~~~
DON’T FORGET … IT’S WACKY WEDNESDAY!! SCROLL DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF OUR MAIN PAGE, LISTEN AND VOTE!
Many fans are frequent Frontstretch visitors, but how many actually scroll all the way down to the bottom of our main page? Well, now we've given you a reason to give our site a few extra clicks. On the right-hand side, we've brought back our popular Foto Funnies feature poking fun at the pictures of the week, a perfect match for the Top Ten always located in your bottom right-hand corner. Add in a main page poll, a Carey and Coffey blog, and there's a brand new destination spot for Wednesday content. It's just the latest way we're giving you the best NASCAR news, commentary, info, and entertainment anywhere on the web!
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Stories to Watch: Wednesday
by Beth Lunkenheimer
-After moving to a facility in North Carolina late last week, Shane Hmiel continues his road to recovery. According to the Shane Hmiel Road to Recovery Facebook Page, Hmiel had several different therapy sessions Tuesday and was resting early in the evening. Fans can get up to date information as the family posts it as well as information on upcoming fundraisers in his honor by clicking here.
- The future of Richard Petty Motorsports is in serious limbo. As you read this newsletter, all RPM haulers remain stuck at Texas Motor Speedway with no certainty on when or if they'll leave. Petty is reported to be in talks with Andrew Murstein of Medallion Financial Group to take majority control of the operation from George Gillett, the same man who passed on the opportunity to buy Petty Enterprises in mid-2008 because he "didn't think the deal was big enough." Meanwhile, until a check clears to pay for the cars at Phoenix and Homestead these haulers aren't going anywhere. At this point, it's becoming increasingly unclear whether the four-car team will actually show up out in the desert.
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Top News Stories
by Kyle Ocker
Busch Fined for Inappropriate Gesture at Texas
NASCAR handed down a $25,000 fine to Kyle Busch after he gave a NASCAR official the middle finger during the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway Sunday afternoon, a gesture inadvertently caught on camera during live television coverage by ESPN.
The gesture came after Busch was called in to serve a one-lap penalty for speeding on pit road to avoid going a lap down. At the time, NASCAR gave Busch an additional two-lap penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct in response to his bad behavior.
“I accept NASCAR’s penalty and realize what I did during Sunday’s race at Texas was inappropriate,” Busch said in a statement released by Joe Gibbs Racing. “Even in my relatively short time here in NASCAR, it’s pretty obvious to everyone that I wear my emotions on my sleeve. Sometimes that passion has allowed me to find that little something extra I needed to win, and other times it’s made me cross the line. Sunday at Texas was one of those days.
“I lost my cool, plain and simple. It’s not acceptable, and I know that. I apologize to NASCAR, its fans, all the partners who support Joe Gibbs Racing, and all the people who work so hard to give me a racecar that’s capable of winning races every week. All of those people deserve better from me, and I owe it to them to keep my emotions in check.”
Busch was also placed on NASCAR probation through the end of the season. The penalty was not, however, a result of Saturday's incident with Busch in which he used multiple expletives between a brief media session and in an interview with a PRN radio reporter, which was cut just before it was aired on the network, following a second-place finish in the Nationwide Series race. After that event, Busch was complaining NASCAR failed to penalize eventual winner Carl Edwards for jumping the final restart.
Appeals Panel Upholds Whitney Motorsports Penalty
The National Stock Car Racing Appeals Panel upheld the penalty issued to crew members of the No. 46 Whitney Motorsports Sprint Cup Series team Tuesday. The team appealed the 50 driver/owner point penalty, a $50,000 fine and indefinite suspension issued to crew chief Thomas Tucker and the indefinite suspensions to crew members Tony Furr and Richard Boga for unapproved weight pellets discovered during the Talladega Superspeedway event on October 29th during opening inspection.
Whitney Motorsports officials agreed that the weight pellets that were found in the lower A-frames were a clear violation but argued that the penalties were too severe. The appeals board, however, came to a unanimous decision to uphold the penalties.
The team does have the option to appeal the board's decision to the Chief Appellate Officer John Middlebrook, however they have not made that decision public by press time.
TV Ratings Down Once Again
The AAA Texas 500 from Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday saw a double-digit drop in TV ratings on ESPN. Despite the closest points battle in NASCAR history, the telecast was still down 22 percent from its Nielsen numbers last year on ABC.
The broadcast earned a 2.9 national rating and averaged 4.8 million viewers. Last year's AAA Texas 500 broadcast on ABC averaged 5.83 million viewers and pulled a 3.7 national rating.
This season, ESPN moved all but three Sprint Cup Series races from ABC to ESPN, with ABC keeping the Saturday night races at Bristol, Richmond and Charlotte. The Bristol night race on ABC was the only event on ESPN's broadcast schedule that gained viewers from 2009 (not counting races that were postponed).
Of the 12 Cup Series races that have aired on ESPN, the broadcasts have averaged 4.73 million viewers while the three broadcasts on ABC have averaged 5.49 million viewers.
The upcoming race at Phoenix was one of the eight races that shifted from ABC to ESPN. Last year, it drew 5.17 million viewers.
Have news for Kyle and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at ashl...@mail.com with a promising lead or tip.
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Frontstretch.com would like to thank Star Coach Race Tours for their hospitality at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Our Frontstretch staff who attended the race was welcomed to take advantage of Star Coach's state-of-the-art motor homes, food and beverage all from the convenience of the track infield. The best part is that fans can take advantage of this unique service as well! Visit www.starcoachracetours.com for more information about their all-inclusive race weekend packages! We know you'll love the experience!
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Today's Featured Commentary
NASCAR Lets TV Push Them to a New Level of Stupidity
Full Throttle
by Mike Neff
Tuesday brought an announcement from the hallowed halls of Daytona that Kyle Busch was fined $25,000 for his "editorial assessment" of NASCAR’s decision to hold him for a lap on Sunday for speeding to beat the pace car and stay on the lead lap. Busch’s middle finger initially garnered a two-lap penalty, which effectively ended his chance for a victory in the race and relegated him to a 32nd-place finish, as well as costing the veteran $50,000 in prize money -- assuming he’d have been able to score a top-5 finish.
Hmm. There’s no question that NASCAR has had some arbitrary rules enforcement from time to time throughout its history, but this one is simply going over the top.
Sunday after the race, Dennis Michelsen from www.racetalkradio.com posted on his Facebook page he had confirmed through an at-track source that NASCAR made the call to penalize Busch the two laps because his gesture was shown on television. That makes sense, as there are fingers flying around on a pretty regular basis most every weekend during thousands of races all over the country, and most every Sunday during a NASCAR race. However, they aren’t shown on television and are therefore overlooked by the sanctioning body when it comes to doling out fines and penalties during and after races. In fact, there have been several instances just this year where drivers have been shown on TV with their middle digit extended outside the window of their car as a response to the driving prowess, or lack thereof, of a competitor. And although these moments were caught by television cameras, they have not warranted a penalty.
Once again, the people calling the shots are making a change to the rules on the fly only because Kyle Busch chose to push the limits.
There is no question that choosing to voice one’s displeasure by making an obscene gesture is probably not the most mature way to handle a situation, but in the heat of the moment, in a sport where the people who run the show have told the competitors they want to see more personality, it is an understandable action. The fact that the personality was displayed on television, in a moment that the director of the program chose to broadcast, should not result in a penalty against a driver if that same action is allowed to pass when it is not shown on television. If the people calling the shots are going to allow the director of the race broadcast to influence their decisions, then most of the car owners in the garage ought to look at getting the directors on their Christmas gift list so that they can bend their ear and make sure their competitors’ indiscretions are played for the world while their own go unnoticed.
Assuming this action is considered "unsportsmanlike conduct," which has not been mentioned much, if ever, during the history of NASCAR, then it needs to be penalized every time it occurs. Whether the bird flies on television or at the back of the pack while drivers jostle for position after being put to the rear for causing a caution, it needs to receive the same judgment. When the people running the broadcast are able to have an impact on the outcome of a race, the sport has officially, completely crossed over the line and become entertainment as opposed to competition.
The ultimate insult, after the fact, is that NASCAR is adding an additional penalty to Busch on top of the amount of money that he was already cost by being penalized two laps in the race. Jeff Gordon assaulted a fellow competitor on the track, in front of the fans and on television, and is being given a pass. He’s allowed to get away with this, apparently, because his reputation is “cleaner” than Busch’s. This "clean" reputation has persevered despite hitting Burton and Matt Kenseth on television, dumping multiple competitors throughout his career, and insulting his own teammate on the radio after trying to wreck him during a race earlier this season. It appears that if the hostility you spew is directed at everyone except NASCAR officials, then it is allowed without penalty.
Busch is not an angel, but he is a great racecar driver and a driven competitor. When things conspire against Busch to prevent him from winning, he tends to wear his emotions on his sleeve and sometimes that rubs people the wrong way. However, for years the fans have been screaming that the drivers are too vanilla and don’t show enough emotion. Now that one of them has vented and shown his displeasure for a decision he felt was wrong, he’s being unjustly penalized because those actions were shown during the race broadcast and might have been offensive to someone, somewhere.
NASCAR needs to get a grip over the rush to penalize for genuine raw emotion and allow the drivers to be themselves.
Mike Neff is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. He can be contacted at mike...@frontstretch.com.
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Got NASCAR-related questions or comments?
Send them Matt Taliaferro's way at matt.ta...@frontstretch.com; and if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print when he does his weekly column answering back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat. Fanning The Flames returns Thursday with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!
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Tweet 'N' Greet
by Jay Pennell
Editor's Note: With the NASCAR Twitter community expanding by leaps and bounds this year, it's become a place for instantaneous news, reactions, and a whole lot of inside jokes. We understand if you don't want to join the Twitter community - but as a fan, it's important to know the news and info you're missing out on! That's why, every week, Jay Pennell will sort through the thousands of messages and give us a little taste of what's going on each Wednesday.
So, without further ado, here's a look at what those in NASCAR were thinking over the past seven days...
@cofcompetition: A driver's got to have respect for the sport and those that officiate it.
@19Spotter (Brett Griffin): 25 thou for a middle finger. Bet he'd take that one back. Grandma always said behind every bird there's a pile of ____
@19Spotter: And I'm a Kyle Busch fan so all you 18 lovers don’t come hatin. It's just #shitmygrandmasays
@Riceman61 (Doug Rice, PRN): Hey look Kyle it's a bird, it's a plane it's a $25,000 fine, glad you accept it. Now about those f-bombs on Saturday......
@DeLanaHarvick: Driving to an appt, this jacka** cut me off big time! Soon after I gave him the "you're no. 1" signal I noticed his @kevinharvick sticker :)
@skiprec (Ray Evernham): @DeLanaHarvick you know that we are going to have to fine you and put you on probation...;)
@Kenny_Wallace: Chad Knaus is my hero!..I said on SPEED TV "Drivers are held accountable ALL THE TIME" and NOW so are pit crews. Welcome to a Driver's life.
@KevinHarvick: The more I read and listen it sounds like the perfect storm is brewing!!!!
@19Spotter: Comparing ratings from ABC to ESPN is like comparing Brian Scott to Jimmie Johnson.
@19Spotter: If y'all think being on ESPN vs ABC doesn't lower ratings ur on crack. Put general hospital on versus. #duh
@kaseykahne: just watched highlights of yesterdays race. that was some exciting racing!
@MartySmithESPN: HOME! Rusty Wallace Air is badass! Today was so much fun - thank you all so much for watching and sending notes! NASCAR is back!
@jim_utter: Sorry to be Mr. Skeptical, but don't think a fight between two winless drivers this season means #NASCAR is BACK!!!!!
@BrianLVickers: Even though it was only measurements for 2011, it felt great to sit in the seat of the race car today. That and a solid bike ride with Kyle.
@RikiRachtman: Hey 48 haters. Ya know how JJ is good at so many tracks. Guess what Phoenix is his best track. 4.9 average 4 wins 7 top 3's uh oh 5X ?
@DeLanaHarvick: It might be football night in America but there are 16 episodes of the three stooges on the dvr to watch! nyuk-nyuk-nyuk, woo-woo-woo!
@AllWaltrip (Darrell Waltrip): like the way 11 team is taking it to 48- 29, talking trash about the boys, got to love it, 33 points is not much of a lead, better be careful
@KevinHarvick: Man it looks like Mike Ford grew some balls this week in the media center calling 48 out...pretty cocky with 2 to go....
@MattTaliaferro: Bowyer won with Harvick's crew ... so I guess it stands to reason that Gordon will snap the losing skid in Phoenix. Right?
@NASCARBowles (Tom Bowles, SI.com): Could u imagine if Alan Kulwicki swapped crews during his '92 title run? O wait; he didn't have millions & a teammate. How #NASCAR has changed
@16_spotter (Joel Edmonds): Thank God that Speed has a Victory Lane show cause even with ESPN carrying the race Sportscenter has no clue what happened today
@19Spotter: I'm gonna guess I saw the 77 hit the wall at least 6 times yesterday. And, I may have missed a couple.
@Kenny_Wallace: One single race saves Nascar!..#1.The Fight...#2.Kyle Busch giving the official the finger...#3.Fans got what they wanted, New point Leader
@19Spotter: If Kyle Busch's middle finger was unsportsman like conduct what would you call JG's running stunt?! Personal Foul?
@keselowski (Brad Keselowski): Feels great to be a champion. It’s exactly how I thought it would be. Thanks for everyones support.
@MattTaliaferro: #KyleBuschsFinger just got out-trended by #JeffsFists
@DeLanaHarvick: the 31 and 24 are boxing on the track... WOW
@Just_AP (Ashley Parlett, Mechanic): This is what NASCAR is missing folks
@Amanda_Speed: Holy crap!!! Get 'em Jeff... (Wait they're both named Jeff). Well if that doesn't get the NASCAR ratings up, I don't know what will...?!?
@bscottracing (Brian Scott): Wow Jeff Gordon is a bad ass.
@stevewallace66: Jeff Gordonnnnnnnnnnn baby he is the man
@Regan_Smith_: Not the day we wanted, we still have some areas to work on. In other news I had a front row seat for the Burton Gordon deal, it was crazy!
@dennyhamlin: Wow!! Unbelievable night!!! Thanks for your messages. Now its on!!
Jay Pennell is a Website Contributor to Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at jaywp...@yahoo.com, and you can also check out his work at allleftturns.com or jaywpennell.blogspot.com.
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Blue Smoke And Burnt Rubber - Now For Sale!
Did you miss S.D. Grady’s racing mystery Blue Smoke and Burnt Rubber last year? Not to worry! The entire story is now available in print at Lulu.com.
Lady Luck keeps haunting the teams of Van Lytton Racing. However, it’s not the kind of luck that lands you in Victory Lane. When somebody is caught tampering with the fuel during a race, it becomes clear, Lady Luck is having more than a little help.
Chris Weaver, a lowly RV driver for Van Lytton Racing, takes us from track to track on the Grand Stock Car Association circuit while the FBI helps to unravel this deadly mystery.
Buy the book today! Visit Lulu.com for details.
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TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Did You Notice? ... Take Your Pit Crew And Shove It, Sponsor, Trucking Along, And NASCAR's Middle Finger Dilemma
by Tom Bowles
Mirror Driving: Who's Your Chase Favorite? And Changing The Points... For Nationwide
by the Frontstretch Staff
Beyond the Cockpit: Travis Kvapil on Addition by Subtraction
by Bryan Davis Keith
Pit Crew Swap Foreshadowing of a Monumental Meltdown
by Vito Pugliese
Frontstretch Power Rankings: Top 15 After Texas
compiled by Mike Neff
Top Ten Ways the Texas AAA 500 Could Have Been Even Better
by Jeff Meyer
The Frontstretch Foto Funnies! Texas, November 2010
by Kurt Smith
Carey and Coffey: NASCAR Fights in Mainstream Media
by Matt Carey
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q. The 1997 Phoenix 200 was the first IRL race at Phoenix International Raceway with G-Force and Dallara chassis, as well as the production-based engines. This race was memorable for Jim Guthrie's upset victory. For what else is the race well-known for?
Check back Thursday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Tuesday's Answer:
Q. The 1996 Dura Lube 500k is best known for Bobby Hamilton winning his first career race and the first victory for Petty Enterprises since 1981. However, point leader Terry Labonte drove to a third-place finish in pain. Why?
A. Terry Labonte suffered a crash in practice that wrote off the Ironman car he had won in at North Wilkesboro back in the Spring. In that crash, Labonte suffered a broken wrist but wound up holding on to win the title over Jeff Gordon.
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: If we mess up, you get the shirt off our backs! If we've provided an incorrect answer to the Frontstretch Trivia question, be the first to email the corrected trivia answer to tri...@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!
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Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Phil Allaway
-- What's Vexing Vito by Vito Pugliese
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
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Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
MPM2Nite by Matt McLaughlin
Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off has now become MPM2Nite. This week, Matt is back with his usual sarcastic sense of humor.
Voices From the Heartland by Jeff Meyer
This week, your favorite midwestern columnist is back with a look at NASCAR's decision to fine Kyle Busch and why they're absolutely correct in doing so.
Dialing It In by Jay Pennell
So you think the sky is falling in NASCAR? Jay is back this week with a look at why it's not as bad as everyone says.
Fanning The Flames by Matt Taliaferro
Athlon Racing's resident editor-in-chief is here, and he's amped to answer your Questions in our Fan Q&A. Do you have something you'd like to ask Matt? Don't sit on the sidelines! Send it to matt.ta...@frontstretch.com, and you just may see your question in print next week!
Fantasy Insider: Kobalt Tools 500 by Mike Ravesi
Did your fantasy racing team take a hit at Talladega? Well, Mike has just what you need to know to turn things around when choosing your teams for the Kobalt Tools 500 Sunday afternoon.
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Talk back to the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Got something to say about an article you've seen in the newsletter? It's as easy as replying directly to this message or sending an email to edi...@frontstretch.com. We'll take the best comments and publish them here!
©2010 Frontstretch.com
Presented by Frontstretch.com
The Best Seat at the Track, The Best View on the Net!
November 10th, 2010
Volume IV, Edition CCXLVIX
~~~~~~~~~~
DON’T FORGET … IT’S WACKY WEDNESDAY!! SCROLL DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF OUR MAIN PAGE, LISTEN AND VOTE!
Many fans are frequent Frontstretch visitors, but how many actually scroll all the way down to the bottom of our main page? Well, now we've given you a reason to give our site a few extra clicks. On the right-hand side, we've brought back our popular Foto Funnies feature poking fun at the pictures of the week, a perfect match for the Top Ten always located in your bottom right-hand corner. Add in a main page poll, a Carey and Coffey blog, and there's a brand new destination spot for Wednesday content. It's just the latest way we're giving you the best NASCAR news, commentary, info, and entertainment anywhere on the web!
~~~~~~~~~~
Stories to Watch: Wednesday
by Beth Lunkenheimer
-After moving to a facility in North Carolina late last week, Shane Hmiel continues his road to recovery. According to the Shane Hmiel Road to Recovery Facebook Page, Hmiel had several different therapy sessions Tuesday and was resting early in the evening. Fans can get up to date information as the family posts it as well as information on upcoming fundraisers in his honor by clicking here.
- The future of Richard Petty Motorsports is in serious limbo. As you read this newsletter, all RPM haulers remain stuck at Texas Motor Speedway with no certainty on when or if they'll leave. Petty is reported to be in talks with Andrew Murstein of Medallion Financial Group to take majority control of the operation from George Gillett, the same man who passed on the opportunity to buy Petty Enterprises in mid-2008 because he "didn't think the deal was big enough." Meanwhile, until a check clears to pay for the cars at Phoenix and Homestead these haulers aren't going anywhere. At this point, it's becoming increasingly unclear whether the four-car team will actually show up out in the desert.
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Top News Stories
by Kyle Ocker
Busch Fined for Inappropriate Gesture at Texas
NASCAR handed down a $25,000 fine to Kyle Busch after he gave a NASCAR official the middle finger during the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway Sunday afternoon, a gesture inadvertently caught on camera during live television coverage by ESPN.
The gesture came after Busch was called in to serve a one-lap penalty for speeding on pit road to avoid going a lap down. At the time, NASCAR gave Busch an additional two-lap penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct in response to his bad behavior.
“I accept NASCAR’s penalty and realize what I did during Sunday’s race at Texas was inappropriate,” Busch said in a statement released by Joe Gibbs Racing. “Even in my relatively short time here in NASCAR, it’s pretty obvious to everyone that I wear my emotions on my sleeve. Sometimes that passion has allowed me to find that little something extra I needed to win, and other times it’s made me cross the line. Sunday at Texas was one of those days.
“I lost my cool, plain and simple. It’s not acceptable, and I know that. I apologize to NASCAR, its fans, all the partners who support Joe Gibbs Racing, and all the people who work so hard to give me a racecar that’s capable of winning races every week. All of those people deserve better from me, and I owe it to them to keep my emotions in check.”
Busch was also placed on NASCAR probation through the end of the season. The penalty was not, however, a result of Saturday's incident with Busch in which he used multiple expletives between a brief media session and in an interview with a PRN radio reporter, which was cut just before it was aired on the network, following a second-place finish in the Nationwide Series race. After that event, Busch was complaining NASCAR failed to penalize eventual winner Carl Edwards for jumping the final restart.
Appeals Panel Upholds Whitney Motorsports Penalty
The National Stock Car Racing Appeals Panel upheld the penalty issued to crew members of the No. 46 Whitney Motorsports Sprint Cup Series team Tuesday. The team appealed the 50 driver/owner point penalty, a $50,000 fine and indefinite suspension issued to crew chief Thomas Tucker and the indefinite suspensions to crew members Tony Furr and Richard Boga for unapproved weight pellets discovered during the Talladega Superspeedway event on October 29th during opening inspection.
Whitney Motorsports officials agreed that the weight pellets that were found in the lower A-frames were a clear violation but argued that the penalties were too severe. The appeals board, however, came to a unanimous decision to uphold the penalties.
The team does have the option to appeal the board's decision to the Chief Appellate Officer John Middlebrook, however they have not made that decision public by press time.
TV Ratings Down Once Again
The AAA Texas 500 from Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday saw a double-digit drop in TV ratings on ESPN. Despite the closest points battle in NASCAR history, the telecast was still down 22 percent from its Nielsen numbers last year on ABC.
The broadcast earned a 2.9 national rating and averaged 4.8 million viewers. Last year's AAA Texas 500 broadcast on ABC averaged 5.83 million viewers and pulled a 3.7 national rating.
This season, ESPN moved all but three Sprint Cup Series races from ABC to ESPN, with ABC keeping the Saturday night races at Bristol, Richmond and Charlotte. The Bristol night race on ABC was the only event on ESPN's broadcast schedule that gained viewers from 2009 (not counting races that were postponed).
Of the 12 Cup Series races that have aired on ESPN, the broadcasts have averaged 4.73 million viewers while the three broadcasts on ABC have averaged 5.49 million viewers.
The upcoming race at Phoenix was one of the eight races that shifted from ABC to ESPN. Last year, it drew 5.17 million viewers.
Have news for Kyle and the Frontstretch? Don't hesitate to let us know; email us at ashl...@mail.com with a promising lead or tip.
~~~~~~~~~~
Frontstretch.com would like to thank Star Coach Race Tours for their hospitality at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Our Frontstretch staff who attended the race was welcomed to take advantage of Star Coach's state-of-the-art motor homes, food and beverage all from the convenience of the track infield. The best part is that fans can take advantage of this unique service as well! Visit www.starcoachracetours.com for more information about their all-inclusive race weekend packages! We know you'll love the experience!
~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Featured Commentary
NASCAR Lets TV Push Them to a New Level of Stupidity
Full Throttle
by Mike Neff
Tuesday brought an announcement from the hallowed halls of Daytona that Kyle Busch was fined $25,000 for his "editorial assessment" of NASCAR’s decision to hold him for a lap on Sunday for speeding to beat the pace car and stay on the lead lap. Busch’s middle finger initially garnered a two-lap penalty, which effectively ended his chance for a victory in the race and relegated him to a 32nd-place finish, as well as costing the veteran $50,000 in prize money -- assuming he’d have been able to score a top-5 finish.
Hmm. There’s no question that NASCAR has had some arbitrary rules enforcement from time to time throughout its history, but this one is simply going over the top.
Sunday after the race, Dennis Michelsen from www.racetalkradio.com posted on his Facebook page he had confirmed through an at-track source that NASCAR made the call to penalize Busch the two laps because his gesture was shown on television. That makes sense, as there are fingers flying around on a pretty regular basis most every weekend during thousands of races all over the country, and most every Sunday during a NASCAR race. However, they aren’t shown on television and are therefore overlooked by the sanctioning body when it comes to doling out fines and penalties during and after races. In fact, there have been several instances just this year where drivers have been shown on TV with their middle digit extended outside the window of their car as a response to the driving prowess, or lack thereof, of a competitor. And although these moments were caught by television cameras, they have not warranted a penalty.
Once again, the people calling the shots are making a change to the rules on the fly only because Kyle Busch chose to push the limits.
There is no question that choosing to voice one’s displeasure by making an obscene gesture is probably not the most mature way to handle a situation, but in the heat of the moment, in a sport where the people who run the show have told the competitors they want to see more personality, it is an understandable action. The fact that the personality was displayed on television, in a moment that the director of the program chose to broadcast, should not result in a penalty against a driver if that same action is allowed to pass when it is not shown on television. If the people calling the shots are going to allow the director of the race broadcast to influence their decisions, then most of the car owners in the garage ought to look at getting the directors on their Christmas gift list so that they can bend their ear and make sure their competitors’ indiscretions are played for the world while their own go unnoticed.
Assuming this action is considered "unsportsmanlike conduct," which has not been mentioned much, if ever, during the history of NASCAR, then it needs to be penalized every time it occurs. Whether the bird flies on television or at the back of the pack while drivers jostle for position after being put to the rear for causing a caution, it needs to receive the same judgment. When the people running the broadcast are able to have an impact on the outcome of a race, the sport has officially, completely crossed over the line and become entertainment as opposed to competition.
The ultimate insult, after the fact, is that NASCAR is adding an additional penalty to Busch on top of the amount of money that he was already cost by being penalized two laps in the race. Jeff Gordon assaulted a fellow competitor on the track, in front of the fans and on television, and is being given a pass. He’s allowed to get away with this, apparently, because his reputation is “cleaner” than Busch’s. This "clean" reputation has persevered despite hitting Burton and Matt Kenseth on television, dumping multiple competitors throughout his career, and insulting his own teammate on the radio after trying to wreck him during a race earlier this season. It appears that if the hostility you spew is directed at everyone except NASCAR officials, then it is allowed without penalty.
Busch is not an angel, but he is a great racecar driver and a driven competitor. When things conspire against Busch to prevent him from winning, he tends to wear his emotions on his sleeve and sometimes that rubs people the wrong way. However, for years the fans have been screaming that the drivers are too vanilla and don’t show enough emotion. Now that one of them has vented and shown his displeasure for a decision he felt was wrong, he’s being unjustly penalized because those actions were shown during the race broadcast and might have been offensive to someone, somewhere.
NASCAR needs to get a grip over the rush to penalize for genuine raw emotion and allow the drivers to be themselves.
Mike Neff is a Senior Writer for Frontstretch.com. He can be contacted at mike...@frontstretch.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
Got NASCAR-related questions or comments?
Send them Matt Taliaferro's way at matt.ta...@frontstretch.com; and if you're lucky, you'll get your name in print when he does his weekly column answering back to you – the fans that keep Frontstretch afloat. Fanning The Flames returns Thursday with a whole new set of Fan Questions and Answers!
~~~~~~~~~~
Tweet 'N' Greet
by Jay Pennell
Editor's Note: With the NASCAR Twitter community expanding by leaps and bounds this year, it's become a place for instantaneous news, reactions, and a whole lot of inside jokes. We understand if you don't want to join the Twitter community - but as a fan, it's important to know the news and info you're missing out on! That's why, every week, Jay Pennell will sort through the thousands of messages and give us a little taste of what's going on each Wednesday.
So, without further ado, here's a look at what those in NASCAR were thinking over the past seven days...
@cofcompetition: A driver's got to have respect for the sport and those that officiate it.
@19Spotter (Brett Griffin): 25 thou for a middle finger. Bet he'd take that one back. Grandma always said behind every bird there's a pile of ____
@19Spotter: And I'm a Kyle Busch fan so all you 18 lovers don’t come hatin. It's just #shitmygrandmasays
@Riceman61 (Doug Rice, PRN): Hey look Kyle it's a bird, it's a plane it's a $25,000 fine, glad you accept it. Now about those f-bombs on Saturday......
@DeLanaHarvick: Driving to an appt, this jacka** cut me off big time! Soon after I gave him the "you're no. 1" signal I noticed his @kevinharvick sticker :)
@skiprec (Ray Evernham): @DeLanaHarvick you know that we are going to have to fine you and put you on probation...;)
@Kenny_Wallace: Chad Knaus is my hero!..I said on SPEED TV "Drivers are held accountable ALL THE TIME" and NOW so are pit crews. Welcome to a Driver's life.
@KevinHarvick: The more I read and listen it sounds like the perfect storm is brewing!!!!
@19Spotter: Comparing ratings from ABC to ESPN is like comparing Brian Scott to Jimmie Johnson.
@19Spotter: If y'all think being on ESPN vs ABC doesn't lower ratings ur on crack. Put general hospital on versus. #duh
@kaseykahne: just watched highlights of yesterdays race. that was some exciting racing!
@MartySmithESPN: HOME! Rusty Wallace Air is badass! Today was so much fun - thank you all so much for watching and sending notes! NASCAR is back!
@jim_utter: Sorry to be Mr. Skeptical, but don't think a fight between two winless drivers this season means #NASCAR is BACK!!!!!
@BrianLVickers: Even though it was only measurements for 2011, it felt great to sit in the seat of the race car today. That and a solid bike ride with Kyle.
@RikiRachtman: Hey 48 haters. Ya know how JJ is good at so many tracks. Guess what Phoenix is his best track. 4.9 average 4 wins 7 top 3's uh oh 5X ?
@DeLanaHarvick: It might be football night in America but there are 16 episodes of the three stooges on the dvr to watch! nyuk-nyuk-nyuk, woo-woo-woo!
@AllWaltrip (Darrell Waltrip): like the way 11 team is taking it to 48- 29, talking trash about the boys, got to love it, 33 points is not much of a lead, better be careful
@KevinHarvick: Man it looks like Mike Ford grew some balls this week in the media center calling 48 out...pretty cocky with 2 to go....
@MattTaliaferro: Bowyer won with Harvick's crew ... so I guess it stands to reason that Gordon will snap the losing skid in Phoenix. Right?
@NASCARBowles (Tom Bowles, SI.com): Could u imagine if Alan Kulwicki swapped crews during his '92 title run? O wait; he didn't have millions & a teammate. How #NASCAR has changed
@16_spotter (Joel Edmonds): Thank God that Speed has a Victory Lane show cause even with ESPN carrying the race Sportscenter has no clue what happened today
@19Spotter: I'm gonna guess I saw the 77 hit the wall at least 6 times yesterday. And, I may have missed a couple.
@Kenny_Wallace: One single race saves Nascar!..#1.The Fight...#2.Kyle Busch giving the official the finger...#3.Fans got what they wanted, New point Leader
@19Spotter: If Kyle Busch's middle finger was unsportsman like conduct what would you call JG's running stunt?! Personal Foul?
@keselowski (Brad Keselowski): Feels great to be a champion. It’s exactly how I thought it would be. Thanks for everyones support.
@MattTaliaferro: #KyleBuschsFinger just got out-trended by #JeffsFists
@DeLanaHarvick: the 31 and 24 are boxing on the track... WOW
@Just_AP (Ashley Parlett, Mechanic): This is what NASCAR is missing folks
@Amanda_Speed: Holy crap!!! Get 'em Jeff... (Wait they're both named Jeff). Well if that doesn't get the NASCAR ratings up, I don't know what will...?!?
@bscottracing (Brian Scott): Wow Jeff Gordon is a bad ass.
@stevewallace66: Jeff Gordonnnnnnnnnnn baby he is the man
@Regan_Smith_: Not the day we wanted, we still have some areas to work on. In other news I had a front row seat for the Burton Gordon deal, it was crazy!
@dennyhamlin: Wow!! Unbelievable night!!! Thanks for your messages. Now its on!!
Jay Pennell is a Website Contributor to Frontstretch.com. He can be reached via e-mail at jaywp...@yahoo.com, and you can also check out his work at allleftturns.com or jaywpennell.blogspot.com.
~~~~~~~~~~
Blue Smoke And Burnt Rubber - Now For Sale!
Did you miss S.D. Grady’s racing mystery Blue Smoke and Burnt Rubber last year? Not to worry! The entire story is now available in print at Lulu.com.
Lady Luck keeps haunting the teams of Van Lytton Racing. However, it’s not the kind of luck that lands you in Victory Lane. When somebody is caught tampering with the fuel during a race, it becomes clear, Lady Luck is having more than a little help.
Chris Weaver, a lowly RV driver for Van Lytton Racing, takes us from track to track on the Grand Stock Car Association circuit while the FBI helps to unravel this deadly mystery.
Buy the book today! Visit Lulu.com for details.
~~~~~~~~~~
TODAY ON THE FRONTSTRETCH:
Did You Notice? ... Take Your Pit Crew And Shove It, Sponsor, Trucking Along, And NASCAR's Middle Finger Dilemma
by Tom Bowles
Mirror Driving: Who's Your Chase Favorite? And Changing The Points... For Nationwide
by the Frontstretch Staff
Beyond the Cockpit: Travis Kvapil on Addition by Subtraction
by Bryan Davis Keith
Pit Crew Swap Foreshadowing of a Monumental Meltdown
by Vito Pugliese
Frontstretch Power Rankings: Top 15 After Texas
compiled by Mike Neff
Top Ten Ways the Texas AAA 500 Could Have Been Even Better
by Jeff Meyer
The Frontstretch Foto Funnies! Texas, November 2010
by Kurt Smith
Carey and Coffey: NASCAR Fights in Mainstream Media
by Matt Carey
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FRONTSTRETCH TRIVIA:
Q. The 1997 Phoenix 200 was the first IRL race at Phoenix International Raceway with G-Force and Dallara chassis, as well as the production-based engines. This race was memorable for Jim Guthrie's upset victory. For what else is the race well-known for?
Check back Thursday for the answer, here in the Frontstretch Newsletter!
Tuesday's Answer:
Q. The 1996 Dura Lube 500k is best known for Bobby Hamilton winning his first career race and the first victory for Petty Enterprises since 1981. However, point leader Terry Labonte drove to a third-place finish in pain. Why?
A. Terry Labonte suffered a crash in practice that wrote off the Ironman car he had won in at North Wilkesboro back in the Spring. In that crash, Labonte suffered a broken wrist but wound up holding on to win the title over Jeff Gordon.
Frontstretch Trivia Guarantee: If we mess up, you get the shirt off our backs! If we've provided an incorrect answer to the Frontstretch Trivia question, be the first to email the corrected trivia answer to tri...@frontstretch.com and we'll send you a Frontstretch T-Shirt ... FREE!
~~~~~~~~~~
Coming tomorrow in the Frontstretch Newsletter:
-- Top News from Phil Allaway
-- What's Vexing Vito by Vito Pugliese
-- Links to your favorite Frontstretch articles, and more!
~~~~~~~~~~
Tomorrow on the Frontstretch:
MPM2Nite by Matt McLaughlin
Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off has now become MPM2Nite. This week, Matt is back with his usual sarcastic sense of humor.
Voices From the Heartland by Jeff Meyer
This week, your favorite midwestern columnist is back with a look at NASCAR's decision to fine Kyle Busch and why they're absolutely correct in doing so.
Dialing It In by Jay Pennell
So you think the sky is falling in NASCAR? Jay is back this week with a look at why it's not as bad as everyone says.
Fanning The Flames by Matt Taliaferro
Athlon Racing's resident editor-in-chief is here, and he's amped to answer your Questions in our Fan Q&A. Do you have something you'd like to ask Matt? Don't sit on the sidelines! Send it to matt.ta...@frontstretch.com, and you just may see your question in print next week!
Fantasy Insider: Kobalt Tools 500 by Mike Ravesi
Did your fantasy racing team take a hit at Talladega? Well, Mike has just what you need to know to turn things around when choosing your teams for the Kobalt Tools 500 Sunday afternoon.
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Got something to say about an article you've seen in the newsletter? It's as easy as replying directly to this message or sending an email to edi...@frontstretch.com. We'll take the best comments and publish them here!
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