Can fighting help NASCAR regain the crowds that once filled the stands every week? My first thought is a quick yes—but that answer comes with some decisions NASCAR has to make about the consequences.
Fighting attracts interest. The media goes into a frenzy, reporting on who’s who, who started it, and what other drivers think. More coverage is good for the sport. Even my wife, who has never sat through an entire NASCAR race, now knows who Carson Hocevar is. The Corey Heim fight—if you can call it that—just adds fuel to the fire.
The downside is that an altercation could affect how drivers race around one another. Take Ricky Stenhouse Jr., for example, after his fight with Kyle Busch, when Stenhouse waited for him by his trailer after the race. Other drivers may have thought differently about racing alongside Stenhouse afterward. In other words, drivers may have to decide who they’re willing to stand up to.
I think that’s less of a concern, but it’s worth considering. What happened between Carson Hocevar and Ryan at Bristol could encourage Hocevar to keep spinning people until someone else steps up to him, as Ryan did.
The biggest issue is the punishment NASCAR hands down to the people involved. Personally, I think drivers should be able to work things out without penalties—but we also don’t want anyone getting hurt. A lot of people want to see fights, but they don’t want drivers missing the next race because of one. If I buy a ticket to see Cody Ware race, I expect him to be there.
My biggest problem with NASCAR’s punishments is that it fines drivers, then uses the footage to promote itself. I understand both sides, but NASCAR shouldn’t benefit twice from an altercation. In a season full of “Hell Yeah” marketing, though, maybe that’s to be expected.
So what’s the solution?
I’d keep driver fines private. NASCAR could still hold drivers accountable without publicly announcing every penalty. I know people expect to know everything these days, but the current system seems to help and hurt the sport at the same time. What do I care if Blaney gets a $10,000 fine? I don’t. I carry on with my life.
What I do care about is a driver getting a $50,000 fine, then seeing the footage used next week, next year, or 20 years from now to promote a race. If a driver is fined, they should have a say in whether that footage is used for promotion.
I understand that drivers compete in NASCAR-sanctioned series, but there should still be fairness—and the right message for both drivers and fans. Drivers shouldn’t be afraid to stand up for themselves and keep others in check.
The Heim situation is different, though. If that happened at a NASCAR event, fines and suspensions should follow. That may go against what I said earlier, but if you haven’t seen the footage, I suggest you find it. It wasn’t two drivers fighting. It was one driver being attacked by a team, and that shouldn’t be acceptable in any series.
To close, I think fights are good for NASCAR, if I haven’t made that clear. NASCAR just shouldn’t benefit from both sides of the outcome.
0 comments