The sport is guided by more technically specific rules. More drivers are marketable than at any time in the past due thanks, in part, to their personalities and racing styles. NASCAR has effectively supplanted IndyCar as the fastest growing and most popular motor sport in America.
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| Perhaps Busch did need to have his ass whipped. That doesn't always make it a good idea. 1 |
HAVE AT IT, BOYS!
Not long ago, NASCAR’s image, in the eyes of many, may have be along the lines of professional wrestling, appealing to niche audiences, concentrated in the South, and appealing to lower common denominators. Its drivers, justified or not, may have been pigeonholed by mainstream sports media and racing fans as low tech, low rent grease monkeys who were no more than glorified drag racers from the street. Spectacular crashes and sensational altercations among participants were often the most attention grabbing highlights of many races.
With the influx of sponsorships and expanded media coverage of the sport over the past 10 years, NASCAR has continued to cultivate a family friendly image, suitable for the world of mainstream sports. In fact, its recent mantra, “Have at it, boys!” was coined with the intention of ADDING some spice to the NASCAR experience. Perhaps the boys should not have at “it” quite as much.
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| This isn't the first time in sports an older man has put a younger man in the headlock and roughed him up. 4 |
KYLE BUSCH'S JUDGMENT: POOR AND STUPID?
Kyle Busch, a member of Joe Gibbs' racing team, has had his name in several recent headlines due to some questionable and checkered behavior, not a checkered flag. Busch was involved in an early June altercation with 65 year old NASCAR owner Richard Childress. Last month, Busch was involved in an incident in which he pushed Kevin Harvick’s car with his car while on pit row, with Harvick responding by throwing a punch at Busch through his window.
These are just two examples of Busch’s raceway shenanigans. The list continues. Just yesterday, NASCAR announced it would penalize Busch and Gibbs six points for a technical violation. In 2008, Busch instigated a post race incident with Carl Edwards involving the ramming of Busch's car into Edwards and Edwards responding by spinning Busch's car out.* In 2007, Busch was disqualified from a race in Pensacola for technical violations.
Busch's bad boy image follows him off the track. Last month, Busch was cited for speeding, going 128 MPH in a 45 MPH zone on a rural road in Mooresville, North Carolina. Busch apologized for the reckless behavior and the danger he caused. That bell, however, cannot be unrung.
If NASCAR is to successfully transition its image fully into the mainstream, it cannot have regular periodic instances in which racers and owners get ready to “take it outside”. Such incidents make a mockery of the intense preparation and competition involved in stock car racing. As much as an occasional brouhaha may spark the interest of the casual sports fan, gaining attention with antics that can be seen on the Jerry Springer Show does not advance the interests of a NASCAR organization attempting to expand the brand of and interest in RACING.
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| Apparently, Kyle Busch's truck (#18) got too up close and personal with Childress' assets (#22). 2 |
ONCE IS A COINCIDENCE, TWICE IS A PATTERN, AND THREE TIMES IS A TREND
Every sport has villains and bad guys. Every sport has enforcers and goons. Unlike football, basketball, baseball, and even ice hockey, however, NASCAR is still establishing its acceptance as a legitimate, competitive, mainstream sport of skill among casual sports fans. It has made significant progress toward this goal in the last decade. The Kyle Busches of NASCAR push the sport two steps backwards after a step forward with highly publicized and sensational altercations.
Busch, already on probation by NASCAR for the Harvick incident, was not punished for his role in this weekend’s altercation. NASCAR determined that Busch had not provoked the incident with the 65 year old Childress. Childress was slapped with a $150,000 fine for his actions. If this were an isolated incident, I would think nothing further about NASCAR’s inaction. But this is not Busch’s first rodeo, featuring other NASCAR personnel as the metaphorical bull. Where there is smoke there is fire. NASCAR must get a handle on these incidents, even if it means suspending popular drivers like Busch, to keep its spectacle a sport and not like a rodeo (or a steel cage match) in the eyes of the public.
| Childress put Busch in a headlock and gave Busch a few knuckle sandwiches. I wouldn't mess with this old man! 3 |
*Source: ESPN.com
1) Image from espn.com
2) Image from bleacherreport.com
3) Image from latimes.com
4) Image from rangersfansstats.com
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