Prior to the 2008 season NASCAR held their annual address to the media. During that time they said they would like drivers to show more of their personality when Mike Helton, President of NASCAR said, "I would certainly agree that we are relooking and making sure that our policies of enforcement don't make it where our drivers can't express themselves. There are lots of characters in our sport. There's lots of emotion flying fast and heavy at the events."
The results were mixed among the drivers and fans. Both Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. were skeptical of NASCAR's intentions, with Stewart quoted as saying, "I'll believe that when I see it." Stewart would know, he has a NASCAR rap sheet longer than some rap lyrics.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. also didn't believe NASCAR. "I don't believe them. I don't think anybody does. What does that mean? Are we supposed to walk the line and see where we step over it and where are we going to get fined when we go too far? What are they saying?"
However the fans were all for it, they wanted more emotion from their favorite driver. Even Denny Hamlin saw the positive to it, "This sport was raised on personalities. Maybe (NASCAR) is seeing the light now. Our personalities fuel the fans to watch every weekend. Maybe a few fist fights wouldn't hurt so bad...let drivers be themselves."
Maybe, but not likely.
One month later NASCAR would be put to the test when the fireworks went off at Daytona before a single competitive lap was run. During practice for the Budweiser Shootout Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart started trading paint, then bumps down pit road, and maybe even a punch. They were called to the principal's office and told to knock it off then a penalty was added: a six week probation period for both drivers.
They showed their emotion and expressed themselves, then were punished for it.
That will be one of the story lines when looking back on the '08 season.
Case and point: this past weekend at the Bristol Motor Speedway. We all know that Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch battled for the lead and the win late in the Sharpie 500 with Edwards getting the better of Busch. We also know what happened after the checkered flag flew.
For Kyle Busch fans it was completely uncalled for and Edwards should have been penalized. For Edward fans or Kyle Busch haters it was payback long coming. For anyone else, it was the excitement of another race and certainly for what it seemed to lack during the actual event. The result: everyone, except Kyle Busch, went home happy.
That happiness lasted for three days as NASCAR announced today that both Edwards and Busch would be placed on a six week probation period. Just like Stewart and the elder Busch were.
For NASCAR it's a catch-22. They want drivers to be themselves but then censor them when trouble arises. Making the fans and drivers angry that they went back on their word. So, the next time if they don't penalize them and let the sport run wild they risk being called trashy and no longer viewer-friendly. Either way somebody loses, no one ends up happy-not the fans, not the drivers and not NASCAR.
At the end of the day the question shouldn't be, "How would that guy race me?" Instead maybe it should be, "How would NASCAR want me to race that guy?"
"Let's make it real clear-I'm not apologizing for it," Edwards said. "We're even. They keep talking about rivalries, we might have one now...I'd do it again."
And for some-fear of penalties or not-that's just fine.
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