It's Personal for NASCAR Leadership

In a press conference held on Tuesday morning, Ryan Pemberton, vice president of competition for NASCAR, said that he and other NASCAR leadership took the tire fiasco at the Brickyard very personal.  

Pemberton acknowledged that NASCAR brought the wrong car and tire combination to the track.  It was very personal for Pemberton, as he has worked in the sport for 30 years and is deeply committed to it.  He shared that it was personally disappointing and stressful to have that kind of a race, as he knows the kind of show that NASCAR wants and does put on week after week.

Pemberton, who most often can be found in the NASCAR tower on race day, was on pit row for most of the race at the Brickyard.  He acknowledged that NASCAR officials knew there would be tire problems on Sunday, so he took the unusual step of going on the track at about lap eight of the race.  He said that he wanted to talk to crew chiefs and hear driver feedback, as well as see the tires themselves at the first competition caution.

What Pemberton did see was so deeply disturbing that NASCAR had to "take control" of the race in a big way to ensure the safety of the drivers, teams, and spectators.  He was especially concerned after Matt Kenseth's crash, which was so violent that it practically destroyed Kenseth's car and spewed debris all over the track.

When asked about Indianapolis Track Chairman Tony George's comments on the problems not being the track surface, Pemberton advised that while he had not heard George's feedback directly, he did agree that it was not the fault of the race track and again reiterated that it was the combined fault of NASCAR and Goodyear.

Pemberton said that NASCAR leadership has been in touch with Goodyear, having an "extensive" conversation with them on Monday after the race.  The exact problems with the tire remain a mystery, but both are committed to ensuring that the problems are researched and solved.

Knowing that Ryan Pemberton is beating himself up may make some fans of the sport feel a little better.  But for those who paid their good money to buy tickets and travel to the race or for those of us who took the better part of our Sunday to watch on TV, this is of little consolation.