The View from Here: The Business of NASCAR

First of all, I hate cheaters just as much as the next person — whether it be racing, baseball (read steroids), or politics. But we have a philosophy in the U.S. that says that one is innocent until proven guilty. But, that’s not how NASCAR sees it. In NASCAR’s eyes, if something is amiss with your car, you obviously are a cheater and must be penalized.

Look at the obvious situations so far this year. Robby Gordon switches from Chevy to Dodge and receives a front nose for his Charger — but it isn’t the approved new Charger nose, which is currently undergoing NASCAR approval. Forget that R. Gordon didn’t realize it was the wrong part, forget that someone outside his team supplied the part, and forget that it was discovered in opening day inspection and thus the car was never run with the wrong nose. NASCAR simply says — “black is black and white is white, and that’s all there is to it!”

And now NASCAR discovers in the post-race inspection at Las Vegas that Carl Edwards did not have a lid on the oil reservoir encasement (or oil tank box). Five cars in the Nationwide series had loose lids on the oil reservoir encasement (and subsequently, the National Stock Car Racing Commission rescinded the penalties assessed to David Stremme, his crew chief, and car owner Rusty Wallace). But the appeal had to take place because NASCAR only sees “black and white”. Keep in mind that these “offenses” are not even close to being compared with last year’s penalties of Earnhardt Jr. (mounting rear-wing brackets illegally) and J. Gordon and J. Johnson (altering fenders). Those were overt modifications to gain a competitive advantage.

Despite all the technical expertise in NASCAR’s operations, the Big Boys simply don’t want to exercise any professional discretion; otherwise, everyone will be shouting “foul!” That’s the easy way out, NASCAR. For goodness sake, let’s not have cheaters — but everyone’s been guilty of an honest mistake!!

That’s my view from here.

Jon