There was a NASCAR race on Saturday night. Not sure who won, because the motorsports media have focused on the ‘fight’ afterwards.
Seems that racer Chandler Smith had to win at Martinsville it to advance in the NASCAR playoffs. His rival Cole Custer was already locked-in to advance. So, in the closing laps, Custer gave Smith the ‘bump-and-run’ which pushed the race car up the track, causing the desperate racer to lose several positions.
Immediately following the race, Smith confronted Custer on pit road for his dirty driving tactics. After some heated words, Smith slapped Customer then quickly turned and ran before his rival could retaliate. Pit crews jumped in to prevent the situation from escalating.
Yet many NASCAR fans are angry that the slap wasn’t ‘manly’ enough, and they’re disappointed that Smith walked away instead of having a proper fight. Don’t understand this aspect of NASCAR? Well here’s an excerpt from Rubens Jr’s article on ‘The Classic Machines’ that might explain the culture a little better.
The Wizard of NASCAR
I’m not a big fan of NASCAR; first, I don’t like watching races on oval tracks in general, but what disgusts me the most is how they encourage drivers to play dirty on the track, which inevitably leads to fistfights or any other deplorable behaviour by the drivers.
However, I do admire the cars themselves. The big American cars powered by the old-school pushrod V8 are fantastic. The new generation of machines is even better; the design has moved away from the awkwardness of the big sedans and has become closer to a genuine sports car.
NASCAR is the most popular form of motorsport in the USA. The list of things I despise about it is the very things that make thousands of fans go to the races every weekend. People want to see more than racing; they want to be entertained. From its beginning, deeply rooted in unlawful bootlegging in the 1920s and 1930s, to the unfair driving methods of the modern drivers, the good ol’ boys of NASCAR always provided good and controversial entertainment.
But the colourful behaviour of NASCAR is not limited to what I listed here; there was a time when cheating became rampant, and teams played a game of cat and mouse with race officials.
In the eyes of the fans, these ‘talented’ builders were heroes. More than bending the rules to get faster cars, they were using creativity “to fight the establishment,” keeping the outlaw spirit of NASCAR alive.
Click the link below and head on over to ‘The Classic Machines‘ where Rubens tells the tale of cheating innovation in NASCAR and why it’s outlaw roots have made rule bending and fist-fighting part of the sport, even today.
Rubens Jr’s article on the legendary Smokey Yunick may just have you tuning in to the last few races of the NASCAR season.
That slap would have ended up as a huge brawl in a football or basketball game. A slap in the face down south is more likely to get you killed than landing a solid punch. A slap is much more insulting. The person who gets slapped isn’t going to let the insult go unpunished. I’m impressed by the restraint of the NACAR drivers and crews.
What kind of person throws a slap? A duke challenging you to a duel?
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Those two good ol’ boys did not look like they were in the same weight category. Good thing the little guy took off quick, or it could have gotten rough.
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Deep down inside, that Cold Custard guy knew that what he done did was wrong, costing his rival a shot at the win he needed. Just wasn’t fair. Perhaps that’s why the restraint.
Could be. I just saw this headline in my news feed: “Police alleges a confrontation and a slap led up to fatal shooting at Abilene bar.” One man slapped the other, and the man who was slapped shot and killed the guy who slapped him. Stupid! People never learn.
Geez… I never realized how bad slapping a guy really is.
If you ever race in the souther US of A, don’t slap anyone.
We got to travel to California a couple times for go-kart races when our driver Daniel was younger. I kept my hands in my pockets because some of those parents of other drivers were fricken high strung. Much as I wanted to slap them, I did the Canadian thing and just said “F this” and drove away.
I’m sure they were like soccer and baseball parents who can be major pains. Good for you.
A slap? In NASCAR? Why the heck didn’t he just run Custard over with his car as God intended?
I guess he’s plotting revenge in the next race. Spin him and ruin Custer’s chance at a championship.
It will be…Custer’s last stand.
Oh SNAP! You killed it buddy.
A slap? *giggles* 🤭 I guess he was expressing his feminine energy 🤣
OK…I wasn’t going to ‘go there’ but since you did…some of the nasty online comments were about the dude’s ‘girlie’ slap.
I thought it was quite royal and dignified. If he’d taken is gloves off and slapped him with those, it would have been EXTRA regal.
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Feminine energy…sheeesh!
🤣🤣 I couldn’t help myself. Sowwy 😔 😉