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Sprint Cup
SPENCER: Turn Them Loose At All-Star Race
Drivers shouldn't fear penalty for wrecking each other in the Sprint All-Star Race...
Jimmy Spencer calls it like he sees it on SPEED. (Photo: SPEED)
Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick should be excused from their four-race probation for Saturday’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
It’s a non-points, exhibition race that’s always billed as an exciting event in which the drivers go-for-broke and throw caution to the wind to win $1 million. Part of that motivation is that they can race all-out without worrying about points. So, why should they have to worry about probation? So what if they wreck each other? It doesn’t count for points anyway and, if someone wanted to retaliate, the All-Star Race is the perfect place.
I don’t think NASCAR really considered how much they could be taking away from the Kyle/Harvick show during this race when they handed down those penalties. NASCAR should have put the two guys on probation for four points races but then said that the All-Star Race is the ultimate “Boys, have at it” night and deserves to be treated differently.
It would be so much better for Charlotte Motor Speedway’s efforts to promote this race, and better for ticket sales and TV ratings if they truly were allowed to “have at it.” The whole point of this race is to entertain the fans and that’s what they’ve done over the years. We’ve had some great rivalries and battles in this race. Remember Earnhardt’s "Pass in the Grass", Darrell Waltrip and Rusty Wallace or Kyle Petty and Davey Allison in the All-Star Race?
Several controversies have emerged from this night and the fans absolutely loved it. These battles drove ticket sales and stirred folks up. Why would we want to tie the hands of Kyle and Harvick? Fans are entertained by stuff like Kyle and Harvick have been dishing out. Heck, some people cheered for Kyle last weekend at Dover. The kid has more fans after this whole deal.
It’s not too late for NASCAR to lift the probation for Saturday. They control the sport and make the rules, and they can reverse their own ruling if they want to. We want to see the No. 18 and No. 29 be factors in this race and race everyone, including each other, just as fiercely as the guys not on probation are going to do. The fans want a thrilling finish, and the prospect of fighting for $1 million and no loss of points is a great way to get it. But when two of the best drivers in the field are on probation, you hurt the show and possibly the finish a bit.
People love the Kyle/Harvick feud. Ratings for last Friday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Dover were up, maybe because it was the first look at those two going head-to-head since their run-in in the Cup race at Dover. People want to see Kyle versus Harvick and NASCAR should give it to them for one night.
The All-Star Race is a great time to be rubbing fenders and hurting feelings. Those two made it clear the past two weeks that they don’t like each other at all. That’s great for the sport. NASCAR needs drivers who don’t like each other. Kyle and Harvick respect one another but don’t like each other. So, why make them play nice on Saturday?
I say it’s time to turn them loose.
Jimmy Spencer calls it like he sees it on his “Getting Primed with Jimmy Presented by Kilz Primer” segment on NASCAR Race Hub on SPEED. He retired from driving with two NASCAR Sprint Cup, 12 NASCAR Nationwide and one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory, putting him in an elite group of drivers who have logged wins in all three of NASCAR’s premier divisions. In 478 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts, Spencer amassed 28 top-five and 80 top-10 finishes. He won back-to-back NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championships in 1986 and 1987 on the heels of 15 victories, becoming the first driver ever to earn consecutive titles in the series. He earned the nickname “Mr. Excitement” for his flamboyant and aggressive driving style early in his racing career.
The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEED.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or SPEED
It’s a non-points, exhibition race that’s always billed as an exciting event in which the drivers go-for-broke and throw caution to the wind to win $1 million. Part of that motivation is that they can race all-out without worrying about points. So, why should they have to worry about probation? So what if they wreck each other? It doesn’t count for points anyway and, if someone wanted to retaliate, the All-Star Race is the perfect place.
I don’t think NASCAR really considered how much they could be taking away from the Kyle/Harvick show during this race when they handed down those penalties. NASCAR should have put the two guys on probation for four points races but then said that the All-Star Race is the ultimate “Boys, have at it” night and deserves to be treated differently.
It would be so much better for Charlotte Motor Speedway’s efforts to promote this race, and better for ticket sales and TV ratings if they truly were allowed to “have at it.” The whole point of this race is to entertain the fans and that’s what they’ve done over the years. We’ve had some great rivalries and battles in this race. Remember Earnhardt’s "Pass in the Grass", Darrell Waltrip and Rusty Wallace or Kyle Petty and Davey Allison in the All-Star Race?
Several controversies have emerged from this night and the fans absolutely loved it. These battles drove ticket sales and stirred folks up. Why would we want to tie the hands of Kyle and Harvick? Fans are entertained by stuff like Kyle and Harvick have been dishing out. Heck, some people cheered for Kyle last weekend at Dover. The kid has more fans after this whole deal.
It’s not too late for NASCAR to lift the probation for Saturday. They control the sport and make the rules, and they can reverse their own ruling if they want to. We want to see the No. 18 and No. 29 be factors in this race and race everyone, including each other, just as fiercely as the guys not on probation are going to do. The fans want a thrilling finish, and the prospect of fighting for $1 million and no loss of points is a great way to get it. But when two of the best drivers in the field are on probation, you hurt the show and possibly the finish a bit.
People love the Kyle/Harvick feud. Ratings for last Friday’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Dover were up, maybe because it was the first look at those two going head-to-head since their run-in in the Cup race at Dover. People want to see Kyle versus Harvick and NASCAR should give it to them for one night.
The All-Star Race is a great time to be rubbing fenders and hurting feelings. Those two made it clear the past two weeks that they don’t like each other at all. That’s great for the sport. NASCAR needs drivers who don’t like each other. Kyle and Harvick respect one another but don’t like each other. So, why make them play nice on Saturday?
I say it’s time to turn them loose.
Jimmy Spencer calls it like he sees it on his “Getting Primed with Jimmy Presented by Kilz Primer” segment on NASCAR Race Hub on SPEED. He retired from driving with two NASCAR Sprint Cup, 12 NASCAR Nationwide and one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory, putting him in an elite group of drivers who have logged wins in all three of NASCAR’s premier divisions. In 478 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts, Spencer amassed 28 top-five and 80 top-10 finishes. He won back-to-back NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championships in 1986 and 1987 on the heels of 15 victories, becoming the first driver ever to earn consecutive titles in the series. He earned the nickname “Mr. Excitement” for his flamboyant and aggressive driving style early in his racing career.
The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEED.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or SPEED
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