Motor racing is supposed to be a test of skill; an endevour where the quickest and bravest prevail. Unless you have a death wish, there simply is no contact unless you’re in a demolition derby. Forget that rubbin’ is racin’ adage because it’s total BS.
That’s why this NASCAR driver has received universal condemnation from other racers for the actions he took to win a recent oval-track race.
@nascaronfox Radioactive: Finish at Richmond. #NASCAR ♬ original sound – NASCAR on FOX
Motorsports media downplayed driver Austin Dillon’s action as part of the rough-and-tumble nature of oval-track racing. But intentionally wrecking a driver, sending them into the wall to win a race? That is over the line. But the damage to racing was already done years ago, and Dillon is a byproduct of it. Up-and-coming racers on shot-ovals across North America act exactly like the ‘pros‘ they see on TV. Just drive up to your local short-track this weekend and watch the stock-cars smash their way through the heats. That’s just not racing.
With the road racing series on summer break, we visited Sunset Speedway a couple weeks ago. We got to see Daniel’s old teammate from SKLD, Austyn Jennett, make it to victory lane in the ‘Dash for Cash’ preliminary race, taking home his first checkered flag of the season.
But leading up to the feature race of the Flyin’ Frank 49 memorial, rivals had threatened to intentionally wreck the SKLD No. 9 car on track. While watching the race with the team, it became obvious that this was more than intimidation. The SKLD car was going to get put in the wall if it was challenging for the win.
During the bone-stock race, contact occurred between two racers (No. 22 and No. 48) and things escalated quicky from there. The driver of the No. 22 then exited his car and walked on a live race track, to confront his rival. After screaming at and slamming his fists on the No. 48’s hood, race officials had to escort the car and driver off the track. That’s just downright dangerous, and the driver of the No. 22 could easily have gotten himself hurt or killed. Yet the crowd cheered him.
The race winner didn’t even matter. He was insignificant. The main event was in the paddock after the race where a fist fight broke out between the drivers and teams that tangled on track. They continued their on-track conflict until someone got punched in the face. It was a really sad display of poor sportsmanship and it has nothing to do with real racing.
There isn’t a lot of room to maneuver on short-ovals, but intentionally wrecking your racing rivals is just reprehensible behaviour. I wonder where these racers got such an idea that this was acceptable.
A world in which the powerful say and exhibit the belief that “winning is everything.”
What happened to just having fun? The thrill of competition? Demonstrating sportsmanship?
Some of us still value those things.
Society has become so dishonest. And sport reflects this.
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During the Olympics, the Canadian soccer coach used a drone to spy on other teams’ practices.
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Racing has followed suit. Intimidating, threatening, and ‘wrecking’ cars to win. Anything to win.
I’m with you, Chris. Playing for the love of the game has gone by the wayside. Maybe because so much money is involved?
Well, stepping away from sports, let’s look at politics. Not US federal election politics. Just hometown / home state politics.
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How many times have we seen ‘smear campaigns’ used to thwart an opponent? It happened here in Ontario, where a politician was accused of serial misconduct. He was kicked out of the political party during a leadership campaign, and his opponent won, virtually uncontested.
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In the months that followed, the acused politician was exonerated and his accuser was charged with ‘false utterance’ and given a fine.
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Eventually, he bounced back and became mayor of a major city near Toronto. But his opponent ‘won’ through dirty tactics and now leads a major political party.
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It’s the same thing in sport, and jna personal level, racing. Folks have lost sight of the goal, lost their moral compassion, and see winning above all else.
That’s one thing that is so great about Kepler. He tries hard when he runs a race during track season and he is one of the most encouraging teammates you’ll ever find. We should all be more like Kepler.
Thank you for sharing that. Aside from people thinking that ‘winning is everything’ that which you just mentioned has also been lost.
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Encouraging others.
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Sometimes I feel like winning isn’t enough for people. Their friends / rivals / competitors must also fail. Only then will people be happy.
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Kepler sounds like a fine young man who has his priorities in order.
You know I have five kids and the first four are smarter than the average bear. Way smarter❤️. I had no idea that Kepler would turn out to be the one with the most emotional intelligence of them all. We have learned a whole lot from him.