He Said, She Said: Track Showboating
and Kudos to Kurt!
August 25, 2007
Everett
Mugg and Debbi Willis – SCR
Kentucky Speedway Vs. NASCAR:
He Said: The lawsuit between Kentucky Speedway and NASCAR has heated up again. An association of race sanctioning
bodies, The Automobile Competition Committee for the United States,
has asked to file a brief supporting NASCAR. The group includes, NASCAR, IRL, Champ Car, USAC, NHRA, SCCA, IMSA and another
France family controlled series, Grand American Road Racing
Association. Small wonder that a group with strong France
family influence would ask to be involved.
"KentuckySpeedway asks the Court to substitute a jury's judgment for the considered judgment of the sanctioning body responsible to
the sport and its fans...," the association writes in its brief. "If tracks could overturn sanctioning decisions merely by
convincing a local jury that they 'deserved' to host a race, courts would be endlessly embroiled in settling such disputes."
The position Kentucky
speedway has taken is that NASCAR (France family owned) needs to sell either the sanctioning body (NASCAR) or International
Speedway Corporation (ISC), its track operation company, (also France family controlled), which is the beneficiary of the
races. They also want NASCAR to develop objective factors to determine which tracks get races.
I can see both sides of the
argument. The sanctioning body is the sanctioning body and needs control of when and where races will be held. On the other
hand by owning a large number of the tracks at which the races are held the appearance of collusion is strong. Having no clear
guidelines as to what track will get a race other than if the track is ISC owned is a clear violation of anti trust laws,
especially in light of the fact NASCAR is actively trying to force tax payers in the North West and North East to build tracks
that ISC will then own and give those two tracks race dates. Hmmmmmm, something ain’t right here Cletus. “We have
no race dates to give Kentucky but we promise race dates to tracks not even
built yet?” says NASCAR. Ignore the man behind the curtain.
NASCAR is no stranger
to lawsuits, the results of its very first race ended up in court, and to the best of my knowledge they have never lost a
case. They may have a problem with this one however.
She Said: I don’t see the other side at all! In reviewing this
situation, my first impression is that the lawsuit is an extensively expensive showboating tactic for the benefit of Kentucky
Speedway. Yes, I said “showboating,” because the France family OWNS the National Association of Stock Car
for Auto Racing (NASCAR), which is a for profit corporation that sanctions the
sport of stock car racing across the country. Likewise, the France family OWNS the International Speedway Corporation
which is a for profit corporation that manages specific speedways across the country, that allows the sport it sanctions to
function profitably for the enjoyment of its fans. The key here is: for profit corporations. Everything is above board, and
business is business.
The notion that a court
of law should concern itself with a tracks desire to host a race is ludicrous and pompous! Barring a contractual agreement
dispute where a law has actually been broken or a possible dispute exists that needs a legal decision; there is no legal logic
to take this to court. Just because a track wants a race doesn’t mean they get it! Since when does a track tell a for
profit corporation what to do? Last I checked, this is still the United States
and capitalism is alive and well. This notion that if someone wants something bad enough they should get it, is spoiled brat
thinking that should has to stop wasting everyone’s time and our courts resources! If they want a race, then run great
races by all other divisions and create a fan base that NASCAR will want to acquire so that NASCAR will come knocking and
seek the date! Demanding the date only sets the stage for nonsense like this. Earn the date, Kentucky!
As for the other track locations,
marketing is different from Kentucky’s expectations. And if local taxpayers
fall for NASCAR’s wishes, such is their desire. They can stop it. That’s what voting is for. Nothing has to happen
without the voter’s approval. If they don’t want it, don’t vote it in. Anything less is just being lazy.
Junior Loses Bid For 8:
He Said: Who did not see this one coming? He may have wanted the number but did Rick Hendrick? Think of the profit
on the merchandise the Jr. Nation will rush to buy as soon as it comes out. It is highly likely that Hendrick did. Teresa
Earnhardt certainly did as one of the sticking points in the deal was that she wanted a cut of any profits of merchandise
sold with an 8 on it. NASCAR certainly did. As they pointed out THEY not the teams own the numbers and the assignment of them.
Had NASCAR wanted to they could have just taken the number from Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) and given it to Hendrick. But no,
NASCAR will receive a cut from all the new merchandise sold. Just think, Junior can come out with a new book, like Driver
8, with a title of Driver……. whatever the number will be. The sound you hear in the background is the cash register
ringing up.
She Said: I’ll be looking forward to five years from now when
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has proven whatever he set out to prove and matured even more than he has in the past five years already.
I think this is the best thing for Dale Jr. NOT to be the No. 8 at Hendrick Motorsports (HMS). I don’t believe Teresa
is any of the nasty things Jr. Nation wants to think or say she is. No one knows her and none should judge her. I think very
few could walk a minute let alone a mile in her shoes. With that said, I believe her when she said, she most certainly planned
on Dale Jr. running the company… someday, and I believe that No. 8 will be waiting for him when he comes home. Everyone
has to find their own way. Teresa’s really doing Dale Jr. a favor these days by helping more than he’ll ever know
and bearing the brunt of Jr. Nation’s fury! May Dale Jr. make his way nicely with a new number with HMS and may the
8 live on with a new driver for a few years while Dale Jr.’s away.
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Rockwell Leaves JGR:
He Said: It was announced earlier this week that long time sponsor Rockwell Automation will no longer sponsor
a team in Motorsports. As the primary sponsor of the #20 Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) Busch team they have had plenty of exposure.
Does this have anything to do with the persistent rumors of Gibbs changing to Toyota? If so why not just go to another team?
Perhaps they felt they were not reaching the customers they wanted sponsoring a race team.
She Said: I don’t think the impending Toyota rumors (which
I seriously doubt at this point) have much to do with it at all. Looking at Rockwell’s website, I see some serious expansion
going on and sometimes with expansion come cuts in other expenses. I can more easily see them deciding not to sponsor a Busch
car due to the lack of major Busch Series drivers as most of the victories are in the hands of Cup drivers. It may be that
someone decided their money would be better spent with better exposure where their controls get more attention. I don’t
think Toyota can be blamed for this one.
Rain, Rain, Go Away but Kudos to Kurt:
He Said: Although the rain delays this week were frustrating for teams, media, and fans alike, the real losers
were the fans. Teams and media receive financial benefits from the race. Fans go because they are fans and pay for their disappointment.
People schedule vacations months sometime years in advance to make a race. Whether they fly in from Paris, drive down from
Canada, or merely bike across town in Brooklyn Michigan, not many have the flexibility to drop everything and stay two extra
days for a Tuesday noon race. Even the most astute planner who stays until Monday on a race weekend is cramped by a Tuesday
race. Thankfully it happens rarely. My heart goes out to the many fans who laid out the cash for travel and tickets that were
unable to see the race. This is no jab at NASCAR for they cannot control the weather. They do everything possible to get the
races in on the scheduled day. They even take proactive steps at times. The last race of the season in November was a miserable
experience in Atlanta most years. Cold, or raining, often times both; it was almost a chore going to the race. However Miami
is beautiful that time of the year. Switching dates was a move that was good for the fans. A hats off to race winner Kurt
Busch for acknowledging the fans who made the race in Victory Lane. He
did so before he mentioned his sponsors or anything else.
She Said: I can’t disagree here either! Having been the victim
of Mother Nature’s finicky nature (no pun intended) in May for the Darlington race this year and fortunately able to
stick until Monday, I am hands down applauding those fans who stuck out the mud and misery for Michigan! But most of all for
Busch’s kudos to the fans, the kudos go to him too for remembering to think of them first because without the fans,
he and every other driver wouldn’t have what they love to do week in and week out!
I also agree with NASCAR’s
wisdom on the schedule change for Atlanta! I’ve been to the miserably cold race in Atlanta in November when there weren’t
enough gloves and ski caps to sell to meet the need for the bitter wind that ripped the stands for race day! Moving the race
to earlier in the season was an excellent decision and Homestead really IS beautiful
for the end of the season!
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Boring Fuel Mileage Michigan:
He Said:Michigan was actually a great race this time. There were
many duels for position and for once fuel mileage wasn’t the winning factor. Jeff Gordon was penalized for blocking
once again but this time he did not blame the person who assessed the fine as it were. He did not come right out and say he
was blocking but he did not whine about it either. I like his attitude about it. He is in the chase and if he does not win
then 27th makes no difference than 3rd at this point.
She Said: Of course I beg to differ; Michigan
was horribly boring as usual! The best part was waiting for anything to happen. Green flag pit stops happened without much
event except for Dale Jr.’s slide through his own pit, much to the total bewilderment of his crew! How interesting is
it that NASCAR was concerned over Juan Pablo Montoya and Kevin Harvick and they raced each other all day pretty much neck
to neck without incident. Good job by both dealing with troublesome cars.
And yes, Gordon was penalized
but not in any way anyone would realize unless you watched very closely, which should make Bristol even more interesting! On
Lap 129, Matt Kenseth reports not being able to win the race now (after Jeff Gordon made a rather close pass causing fender
damage). Lo and behold, on Lap 190, Gordon slides up in front of Kenseth, and funny, how there wasn’t enough checking
up! Say what you will about not being able to but we’re talking about two of the finest drivers the sport has. With
extreme finesse, Kenseth delivered and Gordon received it well. For that, I too, rather enjoyed Gordon’s post-race interview
and attitude. With Bristol looming on the horizon and remembering both drivers
have great history there; it should be a nice weekend of solid racing the way racing
ought to be!
2006 StockCar Review.
