Today’s tragic news involving NASCAR driver Tony Stewart has brought up another racing topic that has bugged me for years. The cause of my consternation? Broadcasters and media analysts, including past racers, who criticize current Sprint Cup drivers for racing in other competitions, such as the Nationwide Series (the minor league, so to speak of NASCAR, and dirt track races on the Sprint racing circuit in vehicles other than stock cars.
Today, former racer Rusty Wallace again went on a crusade against drivers appearing in non-Cup events. I didn’t write down what he said, but it’s nothing new. He just disagrees with racers risking injuring and effort in other races that could distract them from the big picture in the Sprint Cup series. Frankly, I’m tired of his assertions on the subject. He’s not the only one who believes that way. I just happen to disagree with the assertion.
Certainly, the bulk of Sprint Cup racers, including my favorite Jeff Gordon, dedicate themselves solely to the major league series. It’s probably a good idea, especially for those who have a family. It’s a long season and most of the their week is spent preparing for the big weekend race. Like Gordon, who will occasionally appear at a special function including Stewart’s Eldora Speedway dirt track, these drivers may do one or two other races a season, but it’s hardly a regular thing. Still, there are a handful of drivers who have such a passion for racing that they want to do as much of it as they can. It isn’t distracting for them; it’s a pleasure, something they love, need, and crave.
Stewart is arguably the most known of these. He lives to race. He is now an owner-driver, too, and as mentioned, he runs the Eldora Speedway. Even though he broke a leg at one of these circuit races last year that caused him to be a non-Chase factor last year, he recently returned to race that same event not long ago. Stewart is single. He has the time and inclination to race to his heart’s content.
Kyle Busch is well known for competing in other events as well. As with Stewart, I am not a Busch fan. He is an arrogant, brash, self-absorbed-when-on-the-track individual. Still, he is an awesome and skilled driver. Marriage and being under the guidance of religious Joe Gibbs has reeled him in a bit, but that’s not really the point here. A couple of seasons back, it was suggested Busch curb his non-Cup participation. He did. The result? Well, I don’t have the stats, but certainly his Cup record that year was far from his best. For him, racing more seems to make him better. After that limited year, he’s gone back to driving in the bulk of Nationwide races and several Camping World Truck races for which he owns a team.
Carl Edwards, one of my favorite drivers, used to race a bunch in other events. He had the same suggestion made to him and, like Busch, he pulled back. Unlike Busch, he’s remained focused just on Sprint Cup racing, but I’m not sure that was the right thing for him. Now Edwards is married with kids, so his time is naturally more limited these days. I can’t blame him at all for opting to use his non-Cup time to be with his family, but he actually could be more like Busch and be a better driver when he’s driving more. I miss his Nationwide participation for sure.
Kasey Kahne is like Stewart in that he also drives in several races on the sprint circuit beyond the stock cars. Others do, too, in varying degrees. Brad Keselowski loves to race and though some are on his case to stop his Nationwide efforts, he has thus far ignored those cries. He’s a bit of a rebel, a label that could probably be applied to Stewart and Busch as well. Rebels and racing: reminds me of Dale Earnhardt and the original group that paved the way for today’s drivers. Even Dale Earnhardt Jr. still drives in a select number of races other than the Cup series.
Leave these guys be. Let them race. It’s good for the sport to have some of these big names out there at local events, and if the passion is that strong in them, they will ultimately be better for it because they will be happier. Regardless of the profession, being happy tends to result in better performance.
So, Rusty, give it a rest.
Love Those Rants and Raves 