This past Sunday, the headline for the race report was "Hamlin, drivers excited for daytime racing at Richmond".  The article was by Hank Kruz, Jr. and summed up the views of several drivers as to returning to daytime race at the 3/4 mile track, scene of some great racing over the years since it was revamped from the half-mile it was.  As for racing on the half-mile, some of those races reflect what legendary racing is made of.  So, thinking that was all the NASCAR coverage there would be, I casually turned the page to find this headline "NASCAR stumbles, looks more and more clueless".  Below the headline was a picture of Brian France looking as puzzled as a human (did I just use that word in reference to Brian France) could possibly look.  The article was written by Paul Newberry of the Associated Press and very accurately reflected the same sentiments I've been espousing for a couple years now.  Mr. Newberry is a professional, which I am not, and was really on point.  Not knowing how many of you may have missed that article, I would like to offer a few quotes from the writing of Mr. Newberry.

"Bumbling Chairman, Brian France is taking the sport to entirely new depths".  Ya, think???  Been saying that for a while.  Thank you, Mr. Newberry, for stating it so eloquently and to such a larger audience than I am afforded.  Mr. Newberry goes on to say "While not at all hesitant about joining white supremacist groups in publicly supporting Donald Trump for president, France took his sweet time getting around to addressing a new law in North Carolina that essentially formalizes discrimination against lesbian, gay and transgender people.  After no comment on the issue for the better part of a month, despite Charlotte being the sport's epicenter, France was finally given the chance to take a stand during a meeting Thursday with the Associated Press Sports Editors.  France whiffed completely.  He started out by bragging that NASCAR opposed a similar law in Indiana before devolving into some tortured logic about why NASCAR wouldn't do the same in North Carolina".

The entire preface of Mr. Newberry’s quotes thus far has led to the point I want to bring out about the lunacy of Brian France.  My personal opinion.  I have no opinion to share on Mr. Newberry's stand on North Carolina's law and all that brought it about, but going back to quoting from the article, here is Brian's response:

"In this instance, we take the position that any discrimination, unintended or not, we're on the other side, we don't like that.  We are working, including myself, behind the scenes to the extent, again, we're not a political institution, we don't obviously set political agendas and write laws, but to the extent we can, express our values to policy makes--in this case, North Carolina, we will, and we do".  That, folks, all commas included, was the first part of this convoluted response to a relatively simple question.  Continuing, quoting from Mr. Newberry's article once again, Brian went on to say, "We try to be a part of the solution, not a part of a bunch of threats.  Truthfully".  France continued with "But we are very direct about it and I think, we just do our part.  We always like to think, we just do our part.  We always like to think we take a lot out of the communities that run our events and do business in North Carolina.  Case in point, when we're asked to put back into these communities, be a part of these communities, big decisions and small decisions, we want to be there doing that".  Now that you've read that, folks, interpret it in your own way.  Mr. Newberry's article goes on to make several interesting points, even including the move by France to fine Tony Stewart for speaking the truth about the lug nut situation.

My middle grandson, Sam, has long had the habit of saying, "Wait.  What?" when people tell him things that aren't exactly rational.  He uses that term so much his mother had a t-shirt made for him with that quotation on it.  If Sam were to read these comments from Brian France, the "wait, what?" would never have a more true purpose.  I think anyone with reasonable intelligence, can clearly see that Brian France has no clue, no clue at all, about what NASCAR is, was, or is going to be.  He should resign and move back to Los Angeles where he, at least does have a few friends that understand him.  I don't know Mr. Newberry, frankly never read any of his articles before this past Sunday.  It is unlikely that he and I would agree on political issues, but the fact of the matter here is that he has stated what is as close to the truth about Brian Zachary France as I've read anywhere.  It is obvious that he doesn't have a "hard card" to pull, and I'm sure he was just removed from the invitation list to Brian's Christmas party.  More the pity, because Mr. Newberry may be able to teach Brian how to state his case in a manner someone could understand.  Thank you, Mr. Newberry, and if you ever want to talk politics, call me.  I'm sure the two of us would have a blast.

So, just about to put the paper down and get another cup of my brother-in-law's most perfectly brewed coffee, I turn the page to find this headline in large, bold print: "DRIVER COUNCIL TAKES STAND VS.  STEWART FINE".  This article was the product of Brant James of USA Today Sports.  Quoting from Mr. James' article, quoting Jimmie Johnson now referring to the Drivers' Council paying Stewart's fine, "This is new times, it really is, the way this is unfolding.  I think that, what I've seen from the drivers, it is a great respect for the history of our sport, for the leadership of our sport, and we're all trying very hard to respect that, at the same time stand up when we need to and how we need to.  So it's a work in progress to say the least."

Okay, that is the end of all my quoting.  I used what these two gentlemen had written to emphasize the point that folks much more qualified than am I, and much closer to the inside than I, are seeing the same things I've raved about for a couple of years now.  It is not a matter of name calling, although I admit that with BZF I do that often.  Just can't seem to help myself.  I felt by quoting these two gentlemen in the articles written which more or less support what I've been preaching, it is giving them some exposure to places where they may not be known (although I believe both are well known but not accessible to many of our members).

For the first time in NASCAR history, NASCAR is led by a man who cannot give a viable, straight answer to any question, apparently, but who also has painted himself into a corner.  You heard, of course, that Greg Biffle came out in full support of Tony Stewart's statement but has he been fined?  If so, I haven't heard it.  Has Brian addressed the Biffle issue at all?  Is he likely to?   The next meeting of the Drivers' Council will be this weekend in Talladega.  Jimmie Johnson said they "will get NASCAR's position on a number of things".  I only hope, if the position statement comes from Brian France, there is an interpreter in the room to explain to the drivers what was just said.

The Race Team Alliance and the Drivers' Council and what those two organizations have managed to pull off on NASCAR in the past year would lead me to believe that unionizing the drivers and teams might not be in to too distant future.  Curtis Turner and Tim Flock would get a kick out of that I'm sure.  As for the short-lived PDA, I can't help but wonder why that organization didn't follow through.  Oh, wait, what?  I just figured that out.  Big Bill was running things then and he had a handle on the sport he helped organize and he didn't make grandiose ignorant decisions that he couldn't back up.  NASCAR is led by a man so flexible now, he should perhaps be compared to a buggy whip.

It is becoming more and more obvious to me, to Mr. Newman, and Mr. James, that the "leadership" or lack thereof, of Brian Zachary France is, indeed, taking the sport to new depths of despair.  Richmond, even a few years ago, was a sellout, or practically a sellout every race.  They removed almost half the stands and yet the "crowd" (term used loosely) filled less than half of the remaining stands.  As I write this Monday morning, I don't know what the television ratings are going to be, but does it matter anymore?  Repeating what I wrote a few weeks ago, here we are almost into May and there is no announcement about Sprint's replacement for the "Premier Series".  Of course, we have Brian using the terminology that "we are exploring options, etc. etc.” but that's as far as he goes.  Maybe there is a secret reason behind that,   after all, Brian is great with secrets, but it could also be that no corporation, foreign government, nor Donald Trump want to get mixed up in this mess Brian continues to fabricate day by day.

Whether they know it or not, I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to quote Mr. Newberry and Mr. James.  They made very good points and I'm not saying that simply because they agree with me, or I with them.  I expect that more and more of the national sports press is going to come around to these same type articles.  I believe the point will come when NASCAR will be forced to give away "hard cards" to high school newspapers if they want any coverage.  The sport has become more than a joke, thanks to Brian.  Even though the competition on the track seems to have improved, fewer and fewer folks are aware of it for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the day-to-day destructive leadership of an individual who believes he is indestructible.  Somehow, certain things just don't go together.  Things like Brian France and leadership.  Just doesn't work.

For all those waiting in the wings to denounce me for this Legendtorial, remember, I do care about NASCAR, I am a NASCAR fan, just not a fan of the way it is currently operating.  I am well aware we can't return to the ways of the 50s and 60s, but there are many lessons to be learned from that era of the sport.  If only Brian would take the time to study the history of how he came to oversee an empire once worth billions.