I really didn't get as angry as I thought I would when I read about the penalties handed down by NASCAR to Brad, Joey, Martin, from the Texas NRA 500 or as to the penalty Ron Hornaday received for his actions Sunday. Seems all penalties are covered by the catch-all rule "actions detrimental to stock car racing" or to NASCAR, or to whatever or whomever. It now is no surprise to me why Brian was so accepting of Brad's remarks. He figures "why incur more wrath trying to censure a driver for what he says when I can burn him on another technicality?". Guess he caught enough flak over that Denny Hamlin fine which I still oppose vehemently.
My thoughts are this:
If a part is illegal, then I have a problem with that because I'm not into cheating although it has been a part of racing since the beginning. I know all the catch phrases like "it's not cheating unless you're caught" or "cheat neat" or such subjective justifications as "cheat on 50 things and if NASCAR catches 40 of them, you're still 10 to the good". I would like to think I stand for something that would teach my grandsons that cheating is not the way to win. Oh sure, Smokey called it "innovations" and it was through his innovations that much progress was made in the stock car racing world.
However, as I understand the Penske situation, the rear ends parts weren't "approved by NASCAR". Ok, so Penske shouldn't have used those parts until they were approved IF they were ever approved. But I think the dog and pony show of "finding" the offending part an hour before the race was grandstanding B.S. Maybe something to take the focus off the problems they were having with NRA sponsorhsip of the race. Further, I think taking 25 points from Joey and Brad for something I doubt they even knew about is unfair. But, then again, how often is NASCAR fair in their arbitrary enforcement of rules written in pencil and disappearing ink?
As for Martin Truex, I understand the fine was for being too low in front after the race. This topic is often discussed as to a car changing height during a race and it would appear to me, the uneducated, unindoctrinated fan, that the Texas track was rough enough to have possibly contributed to that.
Ron Hornaday. Wow. In spite of his "heartfelt" apology to Bubba Wallace on television after the event, he did the same thing to Wallace that Kyle Busch did to Ron at Texas and Kyle was parked for the weekend. What Kyle did in Texas to Ron was the same thing undeniably. Kyle missed the Nationwide and Cup race that weekend as NASCAR parked him. Ron is fined and loses points, Kyle was parked. I'm sort of lost in that equation but I'm sure there is someone within the NASCAR organization who could explain it to me after a few drinks (and I don't drink).
I have also had it with this NASCAR "probation". Exactly what does that mean? Over the years that it has been used, I have seen the person on probation committ follow up offenses (according to NASCAR's playbook) with no consequences.
NASCAR is my sport. I've supported it for more than 61 years. I know it's not perfect, but is there any problem with striving for excellence? They may never achieve excellence, and certainly the way they are going it is getting further and further away as a goal. There just seems to be no clear path NASCAR follows. It is whatever suits the management on any given day.
The Hendrick orangization appealed a ruling when was it, last year, and won. I hope Penske has the same result with its appeal.
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What a change! It's been awhile since I've checked in and I'm quite surprised. It may take me awhile to figure it our but first look it's really great.
updated by @tim-leeming: 12/05/16 04:04:08PM