HELLO DARKNESS MY OLD FRIEND

So begins the Simon and Garfunkle song from years ago. It continues "I've come to talk with you again". I'm just wondering if anyone else is as surprised about the total lack of follow-up from M&M Mars and Joe Gibbes Racing on the Candy Man situation? I've seen USA Today, Yahoo, and a couple other polls which overwhelmingly call for Candy Man to melt away at least for the rest of the season and many are calling for a lifetime ban. Yet, no word from either entity. As for NASCAR, I think we all know that the "probation" status means absolutely nothing. I thought Candy Man was already on probation for the year for the incident with Kevin Harvick at Darlington. Could be wrong on that one but I can't seem to find the ruling from that day. Guess I don't know where to look.

If anyone hears anything,please post it. I have people calling me, as if I know.

I think they've been busy singing a fewother Simon & Garfunkle songs:

1) Bridge Over Troubled Waters

2) Keep the Customer Satisfied

3) It's All happening at the Zoo

If they don't get it settled soon, it'll be a Hazy Shade of Winter, as Simon & Garfunkle have sang in the past.

Tim... here's the answer to your question:

Updated: May 11, 2011, 8:06 PM ET

Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch punished

By David Newton
ESPN.com
Archive CONCORD, N.C. -- Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch were placed on four weeks' probation and fined $25,000 Tuesday for their pit road confrontation following Saturday night's Sprint Cup race at Darlington Raceway.

Dave, as always, you are incredibly awesome and very entertaining. All those good old songs I hadn't even thought about although I have Simon and Garfunkle on a cd in my van right now. A friend e-mailed Joe Gibbs Racing and M&M Mars Sunday. He, so far as of 10:00 a.m. today, received no response from Joe Gibbs and the response from M&Ms was just a reprint of their statement issued to the press. Nothing on ESPN, Yahoo Sports, USA Today Sports, Jayski or any other site I can find. A friend told me earlier this morning that Phoenix is surpressing the news that Busch won't be there in order to sell tickets. Then, I check Phoenix Raceway's page and find the grandstands are sold out but they still have places on "the hill" for sale. It seems to me that Joe Gibbs is being very deliberate in avoiding issues with this although I'm sure he's freaking over the possible loss of M&Ms. Dave, you would have a better idea about this, but I was told M&Ms puts $30 million a year in Gibbs. Is that reasonable?

Tim, I no longer have any idea what a Cup sponsorship costs.... way too much. In 1982, when we (Wrangler Jeans) moved Dale Earnhardt from the temporary 1981 Richard Childress situation, $800,000 was our direct sponsorship payment to Bud Moore. We also had parameters to spend $3 on advertising and promotion of the motorsports program for every dollar we spent on direct car sponsorship. Our entire ad budget at Wrangler for 1982 was $17 million. How times have changed. Quite frankly, I don't see how you justify a $30 million racing sponsorship to shareholders. That figure may be reasonable, but it makes me choke. We don't need teams with 300-700 employees. It has ruined racing as we knew and enjoyed it.

Thanks Dave. I knew you would have a better insight into that deal. I can't see that either, but then M&M Mars may make enough from all their products to justify that expense in sponsorship. When I heard that figure I was floored, but then I have no clue how these mega-corporations handle advertising. I hear what they pay for a 60 second commercial in the Super Bowl and think that is ludicrous but now the Super Bowl commercials have a culture all their own. Yet, people in this country go hungry and homeless. Paraphrasing what was once uttered in France "let them eat M&Ms".

Candy Man worth $30 million???????????? Did you even have to ask the question? In my book, he's not worth thirty cents or even a free bag of M&Ms. I have not been able to find that site you're talking about where he has disappeared from the pic but if you saw him there and now you don't in the same pic, either a move has been made, or your eyesite is failing you PK. But, I happen to know you see perfectly, so I have my answer. Now if I could only leak it to the press. Wonder if one of those Herman Cain accusers could use a little more air time?

Have thought about writing a blog about this. But right now, I'm both too busy AND too lazy to try.

Instead, I'll throw a few comments up there for debate. I'm doing so with the disclaimer that I'm NOT here to defend Candy Man.

First, the events of last Friday have quickly and appropriately overshadowed by the disgusting events that are unfolding moment by moment at Penn State. Trucks were wrecked and tempers flared at Texas. But fortunately, Ron wasn't hurt & we can all move on from there. This is a racing site - not a football or criminal justice themed site - so I'll leave it with a request for thoughtful and healing prayers for all those up there.

Next - back to Rowdy. We're right back at ground zero of a question for which NASCAR doesn't have a clear answer. Is racing a sport? Is it a business? Can they be split? Or are they too intertwined to separate.

My belief is that NASCAR should have parked Kyle AND HIS TEAM for the remaining truck race and penalized the team significant owner points. His actions were in his own truck - not Gibbs. Since Kyle doesn't own drivers points, there isn't anything to deduct. But popping him with owner's points AND making his team sit out a race would likely cause him to fall back in standings and earn less money. But they didn't and likely won't. Why? International Speedway Corp owns Homestead. ISC is promoting Championship Weekend. They need TV ratings and tickets to be sold. The truck series struggles with both. So isn't in ISC's best interest to have the most reviled driver in NASCAR in the field for the race (not to mention the NW and Cup races too at ISC-owned Phoenix and Homestead) - if for no other reason than fans to boo him? And with ISC being managed by same folks as NASCAR, economics wins over what may be right for the sport.

As for Gibbs and M&M/Mars, they are indeed in a tough spot. Again, Kyle didn't tear up JGR equipment. He is an employee of JGR and obviously the team's most recognizable and winning drive. But his shenanigans were 'off the clock' so to speak.

Also, M&Ms has never really promoted a driver. Not Schrader, Irvan, Elliott Sadler, or Kyle. They promote M&Ms Racing. Kyle's wreck was not in a M&M's emblazoned Toyo. They may not be happy - but they didn't really take THAT much of a PR hit.

From JGR's perspective, think about this. If they had an under-archieving driver such as Vickers, Montoya, Menard, Truex, or Robby Gordon, the guy would be kicked to the curb in a New York minute. But their driver is NOT one of those guys. He is one of the winningest drivers in the NW and Cup series the last few years. His wins = big bucks for the JGR bank account. Like it or not, the decision to drop or keep him is tougher knowing his replacement likely will rarely win.

If Gibbs' peeps and Kyle's peeps got reallllly creative, here's what I could see happen (though it won't). Move M&Ms to Joey Logano. JoLo is just an oversized kid and could relate far more to M&M's age demographic than ANY of their prior drivers. Heck, they could even tattoo an M&Ms on Joey's Adams Apple! Meanwhile, Gibbs & Kyle should go to Home Depot and get them to move their colors to the 18. They survived Tony - so I know they could survive Kyle. The commercials could be far better than any promos for Joey. Kyle, Dave Rogers, Coach Gibbs, team members, etc. could be shown in TV spots looking for sledge hammers, power saws, wrecking bars, duct tape, etc. and play off his rough and tumble style.

Again, I'm not apologizing for him. Just thinking out loud how Gibbs could best spin this to his financial advantage. Because after all, isn't the business side going to prevail over the sport side of things - even though its the sport part that drives the economic decisions?

Its not an easy scenario to resolve - for NASCAR, the sponsors, the team owner, or the driver. To quote the famous, fictional driver Cal Naughton Jr.: My head's all tied up like a pretzel. I got a pretzel in my head!

Maybe this is something we gonna have to get use to.they will be more K.B. in the future.i have to think it's all about the money.Daddy's money got KB this far,but he is one of the few that has talent.it's a changing of the guards.you got plenty money and wish to race nascar you have a much better chance now then ever before.

I have seen this coming for awhile now.when i was deep into the go-kart racing late 80s to late 90s.Dad would walk into the shop and tell us how good his son or daughter was on a go-kart( riding in the yard).they would put their bags in the car and move to charlotte nc cause little johnny was the next dale sr.Dad spent alot of money to prove everyone that little johnny had what it took to make it to the big time.as we know very few get far.but some slip through the cracks with Daddy's wallet.

i have seen my share of KB over them years in the karts and now it is working its way into the big time.how can KB have anyyyyy respect for anything when every thing has been handed to him like a King.ill bet KB has never been to a junkyard looking for used parts to race with in his life.he does not know the value of racing nor will he ever,do i blame him? maybe im out of line and have it all wrong ,but i have seen many KB and family in my years of racing.get use to this. there is alot more to come Daddy will make sure.

THANK YOU! Some onefinallysaid it, that 'Kyle was in his equipment and not Gibbs' not even the tv said that! It's kinda like if I work at Mcdonalds, and after my shift I go and rob Burger King and steal hamburgers....sure the cops are gonna be breathing down my neck, but what has McDonalds got to loose? They didn't tell me to do it. Yes, the police could arrest me but the news/police couldn't get Mickey D's involved. they couldn't fine them or encourage McDonalds to fire me.

Cody, that is a very good analogy as written and thought out. However, my point is that it is Candy Man who is the one who is the face of M&M Mars, Nos, Z-Line and all those sponsors, whether in the Cup car, the Nationwide Car or the trucks. He is also, by default, the face of Joe Gibbs Racing. It was Candy Man, NOT the truck, the car or anything else, that pulled the boneheaded stunt. I take issue with that, and have a problem with that. I got an e-mail from Joe Gibbs Racing today that shows me just how much they care. Perhaps if Candy Man had killed Hornday, preacher Joe could have said a prayer at the funeral.

Will, I respect what you say but would qualify that by saying that when The King was sponsored by STP, I had STP in everything. There was a time I bought products solely based on their participation in NASCAR. If I choose to boycott Mars, I will do so. I may be alone, but they will not get my money. If enough folks take up the cause, it will make a difference. Ask Bank of America about their debit card fee.