The Las
Vegas lets-gamble-on-the-next-turn crash fest is over.
Thankfully the competitors
are the best in the world at manhandling 3500 pound race cars with little down force and narrow tires week after week and
they rose to the occasion once again.
The Hendrick cars were the
most benign and Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon, as usual, displayed the excellence behind the wheel that they are known for.
Juan Pablo Montoya continued to impress and kept the Havoline Dodge out of the wall. And although there were a few incidents,
there were far less than most guessed, and that is a testimony to the competence of all of the Cup drivers.
But other than the unbelievably
rough and simultaneously fast track and the incredibly hard tires, Las Vegas does
NOT appear to be another Homestead, instead big leads and distances between the
cars was the norm, not the exception.
And why would that be…?
I can think of no really good answer.
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It would seem that the primary
function of the sanctioning body would be safety and THE SHOW, not the latest “Coke is the official sponsor of NASCAR
but, of course, Pepsi sponsors the 400 in July at Daytona” money machine.
It certainly is true if you
are a driver. Being photogenic is important, being diplomatic and hawking the sponsor’s product is expected, but ultimately,
being good behind the wheel is the real test.
That is why, although he is
just about as unpredictable as it gets, Tony Stewart is still my pick to get the job done to win another Cup. And it is safe
to assume that it is that ability and not the two day shadow or the “little scrapes” with the media and competitors,
that keeps him in the Home Depot Chevrolet.
NASCAR has to have a safe environment
for the driver’s, and then put on a great show for the fans. This hinges on 1) The Cars, 2) Safety Crews, and 3) The
Tracks.
They DO have the “Car-of-Tomorrow”
about to debut, and they have made great strides with SAFR barriers and the HANS device, and those things are certainly to
their credit.
But why are there ongoing discussions
about moving into new markets in New
York and Washington when there is no dedicated Safety
Crew that travels from track to track?
It is pretty much an insult
to the drivers, as Dale Jarrett and Greg Biffle have been brave (or felt that they were in danger) enough to say publicly.
The ONLY reason that comes
to mind is the cost, and that is an embarrassment for a sport that is SO image conscious.
And then there are the tracks.
Why does Las Vegas, or Charlotte, or anywhere else just determine their own banking, their own type of asphalt, or “levigating”
or whatever else they seemingly want to do, and after that the competitors HAVE to race on it, danger or no danger. And Goodyear,
what a terrible deal they have—they are the ONLY tire, so of course they will “win” each race, but a newbie
that saw the race this past weekend said “Why can’t Goodyear bring a good tire?”. The answer, of course,
is that soft tires blow out, and hard tires slide. Neither is a good choice, for them or the competitors. Why…? Seemingly
it is easier for NASCAR just to stay out of that area. But what they are missing is that it is a critical area for those fueling
the entire show—the fans.
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Finally there are the plate
tracks, which are The Ultimate Embarrassment. Contrived competition and rules written to make the track at least drivable
are just a sad testimony to force the drivers to “race” on an inherently flawed racetrack. “Don’t
drive below the yellow line”, “Don’t bump draft (unless your car is red—which is another story altogether)”,
restrictor plates, small fuel cells… We used to have better heads up competition on bicycles in a sand lot when we were
children then NASCAR’s “biggest event” provides.
On the other hand, one out
of three is still better than NONE out of three.
It is that same ability
to make mistakes, and to have been granted an ongoing chance to change for the better-- that makes us all human, and gives
us hope for a better tomorrow.
Regardless of whether we have
won more than one or virtually NONE of our battles in the past, thankfully our ultimate “Sanctioning Body” has
no ulterior motives, no dollar to make, and no ego to boost.
The drivers are waiting for
a safe and level playing field from NASCAR, and as Richard Petty, Darrell Waltrip and others will testify, it may never come.
But those same drivers, as well as anyone else that has been around the oval, or the block, enough times know, the Game of
Life DOES have fair rules, but it is up to each of us to choose to accept the challenge to play by them.
Keep in mind when the next
“dog-eat-dog” or “I’m not good enough” situation arises, that we ALL can be winners, and the
real test is not against others, but within us regarding what we want to do, rather than what we know we need to do, to get
to Victory Circle.
Now, take a deep breath, shake
off those failures, change those tires and gas up, for tomorrow is another shiny new chance, not only to race, but to win.
2006 StockCar Review.
