Mockeries
Written by Scott Keller · February 15, 2007
Talking heads in the media are saying that “cheaters” are making a mockery of NASCAR. Well I say, NASCAR is making a mockery of itself.
If you read this blog and pay attention to NASCAR, you know what happened. The new Toyota team owned by Michael Waltrip was caught cheating. The 55 car was caught with a fuel additive in it’s fuel system, which is a blatant rules infraction. Not only that, it is absolutely intentional, which is different from an aerodynamic infraction where the rules are complicated and gray. There is no gray line when it comes to fuel. The line is black as night, and Mikey’s team crossed it.
NASCAR has been notoriously easy-going on cheaters, and they have gone extra-light on the 55 team. They have suspended “two key crew members” indefinitely, but not Mikey. No way, not NASCAR’s favorite cartoon character. He’ll be in half of the commercials on the TV on Sunday, you can’t suspend him!
Personally, I think Mikey should have to sit out the race, or even several races. I’m not saying the Mikey had any personal knowledge of the fuel additive. I have no way of knowing that. But his team cheated, and he is responsible for the actions of his team in competition as an owner. Not only that, but this brand of cheating is the worst kind. This is a deliberate act of cheating that is beyond the pale. It was such a brazen, shameless, and ridiculous act of cheating, that I cannot even understand how NASCAR can turn their cheek on this one and let Mikey’s team continue to compete in “The All American Race”.
Also consider what NASCAR’s actions say to the small, no-name teams that don’t cheat, and don’t get into the race? Don’t their actions say that NASCAR is more about name recognition, funny-guy race car drivers, and money than they are about real racing?
I know this is a big year, with NASCAR introducing Toyota into the sport. I’m sure they think they are doing the right thing. However, I’m beginning to wonder if all the Yen-counting is having an effect on their judgement?
NASCAR can’t prove anyone of the drivers knew what their crew had done so if one driver needs to sit out one or more races then all of them need to. By the way Buffy is listed as the owner, she was docked the owner points not “Mikey”.
And Buffy is married to Mikey, right? Yeah, it’s his team. It’s from the top down.
I tell you what, you start parking drivers, and the cheating stops.
“I tell you what, you start parking drivers, and the cheating stops.”
Possible, but not likel.
Consider this:
2002 Kevin Harvick runs amok in a Craftsman Trucks race at Martinsville Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway a couple of weeks earlier.
He was suspended for one Cup event, also at Martinsville.
Has he been a “good boy” since then? He’s had several run-ins since just as most drivers do.
Having said that I wouldn’t be against a suspension but I have serious doubts it would stop “cheating.”
In fact I’ll go on record the CoT will create more oppotunities and pressures for cheating.
The CoT creates even less difference between makes of cars and between teams. As a result there will be a full on assault on the rulebook.
It seems that a lot of teams have a “reson” to cheat,and no matter what happens to anyone who gets cought there will allways be cheaters,the rewards are to great.
How about this, take away their primary car let them bring out the back-up but impound it and don’t let them have any practice what so ever and then we will see how many cheat after that.
Did we forget that Stock Car Racing was started by Moonshine runners killing time on their weekends???
The question of “cheating” has always existed, and teams have been trying to get around the rules since the first green flag. Today’s NASCAR rule book is so thick because of all the things they have caught teams doing, and today’s cars are so fast for the same reason-experimentation with the cars.
If NASCAR wants true equality, why don’t they just issue complete cars, engines, and body kits to match the “manufacturer’s” car. - but that would be no fun, and the rule book is taking us that way to- NO FUN, NO CHANGE, and soon -NO FANS- because it will get boring watching “cookie cutter cars” go round and round at the same speed, afraid to even bump someone else’s car because of penalties.
What is racing? It’s a competition to WIN. Who can go the fastest and finish a race. Why should teams be limited within VERY narrow guidelines as to what or how they adapt there cars to win races?
The restrictions on competition have gotten totally out of control and I agree with Terry, the fans will soon depart in droves.
It is interesting how we use the term cheaters when someone bends or even breaks the rules of Nascar.
In basketball, Micheal Jordan palmed the ball, pushed off and took more steps on a lay up, yet no one called him a cheater.
In football, when someone gets away with a hold, or any call by the ref is wrong and the player does not stand up and say “I was wrong” we do not label them a cheater.
Baseball….steroids…nuff said.
They did not suspend the owner of the 4 cars who also had members thrown out of the race. At the very least, penalties should be clearly spelled out for any rule infraction, not whatever is decided this week. At least then, you know what the penalty is, if you are willing to step over the line.
Ill be back:
CNN [url=http://www.cnn.com] CNN [/url] [link http://www.cnn.com CNN [/link]
Arnold