There’s no question the knockout-style Chase format has created the drama and excitement it hoped to, and there are going to be moments like Sunday, when Matt Kenseth intentionally took out race leader Joey Logano to the crowd’s joy at Martinsville Speedway.
Advertisement
Not all drivers agree that NASCAR is even-handed in handing out penalties.
I’m OK with a two-race suspension for Kenseth. Now it has foisted drivers smacking into one another on the track upon the public, and the handing down of dramatic penalties. “I’ve been in this business a long time, I feel I’ve had a pretty good career to this point and I feel like I’m going to continue to have the respect on the race track that I feel I deserve”. Logano, who had already advanced to the next round in the Chase with a win the previous week at Charlotte, continued on to victory, along with sweeping the three-race contender round. Kenseth did not like what happened and I don’t blame him.
Kenseth has been suspended from NASCAR through the completion of the next two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship events and placed on NASCAR probation for a six-month period following issuance of the penalty notice.
(AP Photo/Steve Helber). The pit crew for Matt Kenseth (20) loads his damaged vehicle into the hauler after a crash with Joey Logano during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., Sunday, November 1, 2015.
Joe Gibbs Racing released a statement just after Tuesday evening’s penalties against Matt Kenseth that the organization planned to appeal. Danica Patrick was fined $50,000 for wrecking another driver in retaliation on Sunday.
The people in NASCAR’s infamous hauler where discipline is meted out said this was acceptable, because the battle between the hotshot driver and the prickly veteran was for the lead. The title will be decided by finishing order at the final race in Homestead.
“This tells everyone how serious they are, ” Brad Keselowski, among the Chase’s final eight, said on Twitter. “And speaking of ‘restraint, ‘ that reminds me of my first memory of my father, when he duct-taped to the seat of a go-cart and said ‘Drive'”.
Harvick knew he had a problem with his engine and knew his vehicle likely wouldn’t go on the restart.
Perhaps Logano should have heeded his own words, fellow NASCAR drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon both have said that Logano could have handled the situation better following the race at Kansas. NASCAR started the “boys have at it” culture a few years ago to gain excitement from the fans.
And just this week it was the same Brian France who declared “this is the style of racing we have; there’s contact in this style”.
All of it adds up to drivers appearing to have a green light to exact vigilante justice on the track.
It was just plain luck that what happened at Martinsville didn’t result in someone being seriously injured. It’s time for France to decide if that is quintessential NASCAR or not. Instead, Gordon inherited the lead.
Advertisement
That began a stretch of four wins in five races, securing Busch a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Sure, they were going for a win at Kansas, AND if you are blocking- which Kenseth was- you can expect you might get tagged.
