Suspended Crew Chiefs Banned from Track -- The Way It Should Have Been All Along!!

According to Scene Daily:

Suspended Crew Chiefs banned from the track: NASCAR has changed its policy and will not allow crew chiefs to attend races while they are suspended, NASCAR Vice President Jim Hunter said Thursday at Daytona International Speedway. Previously, the policy was to simply suspend a NASCAR license, meaning crew chiefs and others under suspension could not enter a track's garage area or pit road.

The suspensions were never intended to allow the crew chiefs to continue to work on the cars. Enough outrage about this was made in the media and online that NASCAR realized what was going on. About time.

Some Guy Named Doug Guthrie Loves My Blog!!

This guy is a hoot. He writes for the Detroit News/Sports with a weblog. I guess I have a bona fide fan...What's really funny is that he says most of the same things I say, particularly about the topic of the "suspended" Hendrick crew chiefs in his own blog...

Doug's latest column includes (these are his words):

"Last time I linked to a rant by Valerie Wood she e-mailed me an angry message that said I was rude. I warn you that her opinions are heavily weighted by her love for Dale Junior and her hatred for everything Hendrick. Last time she defended Talladega's beer-throwing fans saying malicious destruction of property and borderline felonious assault are the only form of expression open to her sunbaked Budweiser-powered faithful. This time I actually agree with part of what she is saying. The three suspended crew chiefs were at New Hampshire leading their teams from motor homes a few steps outside the garage -- meeting the letter of NASCAR's laws. As for spirit, NASCAR doesn't care about anything that isn't the color of money. It is a farce and it made Valerie mad. She's fun to read when she's angry."

Well, I did email Doug. I said (verbatim from my email):

Doug,

You'll never understand the whole thing with Gordon. And, no, I don't "HATE" him and I don't appreciate your putting that out there as you did. It is true I don't admire him. You and the NASCAR media are never going to change that fact...Not for me and for a very large majority of fans. There's too much I know about him, from being around the sport for 35 years, but you might be a little more discerning if you're going to cruise around the web looking for fodder for your articles. Not that we mind being quoted!! But, come on. Don't say I hate someone when I don't. That was rude.

Valerie Wood

Not that Doug ever gave me the courtesy of a reply. It's true -- I don't like being accused of 'hatred'. That's a bit overblown. I don't like cheating, lying, stealing, bribery, and just about any other felony you could name. If that makes me a 'hater' in someone's book, well, perhaps they should re-evaluate their own opinions and definitions. Some of us, with the 4th of July upon us by the way, love truth, justice and the American way....

Thanks, Doug, for the mentions! How can I be mad at someone who loves to quote me, and who takes me so seriously? At least he realizes my opinionated commentary is very often humorous...

NASCAR Alibi's for the Suspendees

Good ol' Robin Pemberton had to go on TV prior to yesterday's race at Loudon to explain that those who are suspended may not go where any NASCAR license is needed (e.g., pit road, the pit box, the garage). Apparently it's OK to sit in the motorhome, buy a ticket and talk on your exclusive Hendrick frequency....oh, that's right....they don't think we recall that several weeks ago much ado was made of Hendrick Racing having their very own private radio frequency. What will Nextel/Sprint come up with next?

The crew chiefs are allowed to text message, cell phone, email, etc. On tonite's NASCAR Now, Tim Brewer stated that both Knaus and Letarte met with their interim crew chiefs prior to and after the race. I'm sorry--what part of suspension don't we understand???

The fact remains that in REAL sports, suspensions are SERVED, not worked around. I've been defending NASCAR as a real sport for over 25 years....guess that stance needs re-evaluation once again. This year has been one of the worst dog-and-pony shows in a long time. Add the COT to that, and you really get a mangled season....

If a team is caught cheating over and over, do you really think they are going to suddenly abide by the rules???