There have been rumors for
years about Richard Petty’s last win which just happened to occur when President Reagan was watching the event.
And then there is the flip
side of this coin. Sterling Marlin has maintained all along that NASCAR essentially stole a win from his father, “Coo
Coo”, as he was black flagged for a non-existent problem and another bigger-name driver went on to win.
Similarly Bill Elliot was black
flagged for a loose headlight bucket that was undetectable and held for two laps when his Ford was dominating the field.
This past week, when Waltrip
was a broken man and ready to go home, Mike Helton had a talk with him and told him to buck up and race. In a car that he
had not practiced in and with a heavy heart, Waltrip then proceeded to cut through the field into the lead IN 13 LAPS! The
same car was junk in the 500. Who hands out the restrictor plates again?
Finally, the finish to the
500... With more wrecked cars than could be easily counted, the green stayed out. Was this an exciting finish, definitely?
Could Clint Boyer have been injured or worse, absolutely? If you were a driver, would YOU lift the next time the caution comes
out?
Meanwhile, there is a clamor
for the “CHEATING TO STOP” but the real problem is not the “cheaters,” but the sanctioning body that
sets up the game week after week for the circus to go on. In the process it looks surprisingly like a bunch of good old boys
trying to influence the outcome of events and look legitimate and fair in the process. I disagree with pretty much everything
that CART cheerleader Robin Miller says, but he has this one absolutely nailed.
You see, everyone has an inherent
sense of “right” and “wrong” built into us, and it is so tempting to judge others objectively and
meanwhile explain off our own transgressions. But there are Objective Rules, only ten of them, and they never change. Lying,
either overtly or covertly, is among them. This would include NASCAR officials equally with the competitors.
So what is an obviously befuddled
sanctioning body to do?
That’s right, Sports
fans; they should do their own best imitation of the Original 10 Rules of All Time.
How, you may ask? It really
is quite simple. They have their own Car-of-Tomorrow. Legislate every bolt in the car and put it on their website for the
entire world to see. Then, if someone comes up with something outside the rules and it is found before a race, make them change
it. If it is found after the race, congratulate them on their win and then add that to the set of rules.
2006 StockCar Review.
