Before the NASCAR race at Richmond, No. 3 Austin Dillon was having the best races of his season. He qualified 6th, and even lead 35 laps. But he lost the lead on a late-race restart, and in desperation for the win, he spun-out the leading No 22 then intentionally wrecked the No. 11. Leaving the carnage behind him, the No. 3 crossed the finish line first. That wasn’t racing. Not even close.
Some folks in the racing community blame NASCAR who several years ago instituted a ‘playoff’ system where only the Top 16 drivers make it to the post season (the others race, but cannot win). So, mid-pack racers like Dillon are willing to do anything to win.
Three days after celebrating the win, Dillon was penalized by NASCAR officials. He could keep the trophy, but the win would not count towards the playoffs. It was all for nothing.
In an interview NASCAR president Steve Phelps said:
“We just can’t have it. It really comes down to: what do you want your sport to be? And that’s why I think we ruled the way we did because we’re not demolition derby. We’re just not. We’re a sport.”
Yet Dillon’s actions are exactly what millions of fans tune in each week to watch. The crashes and carnage.
There has to be a line that drivers won’t cross since nobody wants to see a driver get hurt. So, where is the line? Apparently crashing into a racing rival at 170 MPH in a concrete bullring is too much.
It’ll be interesting to see how NASCAR racers react to this (rare) penalty as they compete in the last race of the regular season.
I’m starting to believe that the increase in the popularity of NASCAR is reflective of the decline of Western society.
And specifically the need people have for carnage which I think is an outlet for the frustrations of modern life.
I never thought of that. Quite insightful.
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As a north-eastern elitist I just assume that oval-track / NASCAR people are just unsophisticated and do not understand the finer points of racing. My perception is that they cannot grasp racing more complicated that a circle.
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But the truth is that people are angry. Their dollar doesn’t go as far as it used to. Many are struggling financially, living paycheck to paycheck. They’re mad and want someone to pay for it.
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So feeing someone else take it on the chops is like a release.
I do think the anger and rage on social media has influenced all of us. It’s not enough for me to chant and meditate, even though those are valuable activities.
I will also admit to some elitist thinking as I am just not into country music and nascar seems like it is part and parcel with that kind of worldview. Whew. Being pretty honest today.
You know how I think of it? How I think of NASCAR type oval racing compared to open-wheel racing (or road racing in general)?
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It’s like having a hockey player body-checking a figure skater during a routine. Like seeing Elvis Stojko or Kurt Browning (or any other Olympic champion figure skater) out there on the ice, speeding up to execute a double-axel jump … but getting smashed into the boards by some 4th line bruiser from the Toronto Maple Leafs.
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That’s what NASCAR type racing is like to me. There is skill and talent out there in the field, but the crowd wants to see ‘ultra virulence’ and not skill.
Excellent analogy. It’s the difference between skill/class and rough and tumble.
Thank you, Susan. I’ve never been a big fan of rough-and-tumble anything.
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But especially in racing it is just so gosh-darned dangerous.