Brian France to NASCAR Drivers; “I Care”

by Steve Wronkowicz

I am co-host of the syndicated radio show: ON PIT ROW. Over ten years on the air and three on the net; see what can happen when I don't let the facts get in the way of my opinions.

June 16, 2009 5:34 am UTC 17 Comments

Brian France showed up at Michigan to let everyone know he is involved in fixing what ills NASCAR.

It has been a bit unusual for the Prince of NASCAR to show his face to the crowds at a race sanctioned by his family’s company. But Brian, Jim Hunter and Mike Helton were all at Michigan International Speedway this weekend. NASCAR’s version of the big three wanted to talk with drivers, owners and the media to assure them that racing will go on even if Detroit’s big three aren’t involved.

General Motors now joins Chrysler in scaling back their financial backing brought on since thy both declared bankruptcy. That is where France’s comments become interesting. He told those attending the driver/crew chief meeting that there were other foreign manufacturers interested in coming to NASCAR. While none were ready to make the jump immediately; he could foresee more participation from foreign based manufacturers as long as they had manufacturing facilities also in the United States.

Therein lies the impetus for this week’s BUZZ ON PIT ROW:

How will fans react if NASCAR allows other foreign makes into the Cup Series?

Let us know what you think and we could us your answer on this week’s ON PIT ROW radio show heard live from 5-7pm ET at www.onpitrow.com. You can also call the show at 800-645-2946 and possibly win a Kevin Harvick bobblehead if you are chosen “The Shell Nitrogeon Enriched Call of the Day”

photo credit: Icon Sports Media

Filed under: Car of Tomorrow, How to fix NASCAR, Michigan International Speedway, Mike Helton, NASCAR, NASCAR & the Media, NASCAR Bidness, NASCAR officials, NASCAR Rumors, Nextel Cup Series, On Pit Row The Fastest Two Hours on Radio

Tagged with: Brian France, Jim Hunter, Mike Helton, MIS

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Comments

17 Responses to “Brian France to NASCAR Drivers; “I Care””

Matt Mercer on June 16th, 2009 1:48 pm

I wonder if this a cleverly-designed plot to distract the drivers, teams, fans, and media from the Mayfield lawsuit and how dirty NASCAR’s gotten with their countersuit and the like. Throw us a bone like making the shift to double-file restarts. That’s getting a lot of mileage. Just don’t pay attention to what we do to drivers that step out of our line.
Marc on June 16th, 2009 4:02 pm

Matt, I see your point, slightly, but considering Le Affair Mayfield is and has been part of the 24/7 news cycle until reasonable people puke on their own shoes I don’t see the point.

And I doubt NASCAR does either.

As far as being dirty, I’d would guess Mayfield’s shyster using a very impeachable “witness” is far more dirty than what NASCAR has done at this point.
Matt Mercer on June 16th, 2009 7:46 pm

That’s the point Mark!

It WAS the story until this change of heart from the leadership of NASCAR. Now their public image isn’t the “you need us more than we need you” mantra of the past. Now they “care” and hope you’ll give them the benefit of the doubt. I’m not buying it.

I’d refer to you this post here to see how a smart non-NASCAR journalist looks at the case:

http://charlotte.johnlocke.org/blog/?p=3665
Bram on June 16th, 2009 8:52 pm

Mayfield issue is a dog-and-pony show….Am I the only one that caught the Kenny Wallace “op/ed” statement, “NASCAR is not down-sizing, NASCAR is ‘rightsizing”..

the sport has enjoyed what it is going to enjoy.. and any cock-eyed optimist that doesn’t see the writing is on the wall…

The lavish days are coming to an abrupt end.. this is survival mode.. and all is fair game.. just do the thinking…
Charlie Turner on June 16th, 2009 9:35 pm

OK, I see what everybody here is saying. But I just don’t buy that NASCAR thinks this Mayfield deal is big enough to run a “statue of liberty play” on, to cover-up. Mayfield – it would seem to me – is the perfect fall guy for NASCAR to legitimize their drug prevention policy with. They counter-sued because that’s what you do when you’re sued – and you have lawyers on staff. They’ll drag this out until the Mayfields give up or become irrelevant.

The other stuff – France showing the “face of the sport” – is window dressing. Bram’s right. The boom is past – just as it is in the stock market and conservative politics (unfortunately). Time to live with less, for NASCAR teams and the rest of us.
Bram on June 17th, 2009 12:44 am

.. and Charlie.. we have seen it all at some point.. the rise and fall of so many.. drivers, sanctions, lives.. damn hard sometimes to know where the bear has been in the buckwheat, ain’t it lad
Steve Wronkowicz on June 17th, 2009 7:31 am

It took a while to put the pieces together, but the act of a quick and decisive rule change hasn’t been seen in NASCAR circles since the days of the weekly spoiler adjustments, pre-CoT.

The “double file restart–shootout style” came fast–just when NASCAR needed to get the fan’s minds off of Mayfield, Long and bankrupt car companies.
Marc on June 17th, 2009 4:01 pm

Matt, thanks for the link, however…

the author does a bit of ignoring (intentional or otherwise) the facts when he hangs his hat on a combo of Claritin D and Adderall as to root of the problem.

It’s all in the type and shape of the molecules involved.

Of course that’s assuming the “meth story” is correct, and if it is whoever leaked the information will be in court defending themselves after breaking the gag order.

And BTW, this section from the link is patent horse-shiiiit:

“However, ask yourself why a guy who has a prescription for legal speed would go out and buy illegal, street-grade speed. One answer might be, because he is a hopeless drug addict with a death wish. And it took a urine sample for NASCAR officials to notice this? See, any which way you turn on this matter, NASCAR looks like crap. To a fair-minded, independent thinking-person.

Setting aside the fact the bold-faced section may indicate an extreme anti-NASCAR bias, the passage shows an extreme lack of understanding of drug usage and those that are addicted.

There are millions of people walking around highly addicted and when caught what is the common response from family and friends?

“Never, I NEVER would have thought he/she was using drugs!!!!”

Need a closer to home example? Go back and see the reaction of Fike’s family and friends, they all denied any possibility he was using heroin.
Bram on June 18th, 2009 9:11 am

Marc, Matt, and the “sources”:

Firstly, my caveat to this Mayfield-gate brouhaha and my opinion of it: I agree, in principle, there may be a ‘smoking gun’ here somewhere, but I am not convinced who has done the shooting. If Mayfield’s racing career had been more meaningful in the area of bringing, the discussion would be much different in scope. If everything cited as “fact” proves to be true, I will be among the first to say ‘shame on it’ with clear conviction.

Cute articles you’ve linked to.. but they’re nothing more than spitting in the wind.

Mutual admiration societies only serve to lead to more justifiable suspicion and are clearly of very little credence without the de facto confirmation in this case being available.

Speculation , even with a chem analysis of meth means nothing here. ESPN the Mag shilling for NASCAR , whether true or not, citing un-named sources, useless.

Gag order by a sitting judge does. Even though I am of the opinion the barn door was closed much too late here, an awful lot of allowance has happened

Everything else is cheap talk until certified urinalysis and blood tox reports are released. And Mayfield and NASCAR are free to discuss those results.. so far this ‘he said/she said’ stuff is a waste of time.

Proof positive in the only answer, not opinions, not a chemical analysis on methamphetamine, which holds little bearing or none at all when the said use of substance has not been confirmed by those that are not privileged to actual and legal evidence.

Any arguments in this arena are impotent at best. If there is verifiable fact, bring it. Otherwise… to surmise based on another’s word, regardless of the brain-work involved, or the feeling of aprioristic reasoning you may hold in regard, is purely conceptual and deductive. Tautologies are very tangled webs with many traps.

“Truth is confirmed by inspection and delay; falsehood by haste and uncertainty.” -Tacitus
Carbondo on June 18th, 2009 9:25 am

Dear Brian French, (CEO NASCAR) You come to the race in Detroit last weekend and announce that NASCAR is going to let all the foreign cars race! (because of these troubled times, AMERICAN car Co’s are or may cut back on sponsorship dollars)

This is an AMERICAN sport by AMERICANS for US to enjoy! The current financial trouble with our car co’s has nothing to do with AMERICAN racing, loyalty, and traditions in this sport. It would be a good thing if teams were forced to cut back some and race like the old days instead of with hundred million dollar budgets!

What the hell does Japan & Korea have to do with AMERICAN racing, YOUR GREED?

Isn’t a Billion dollars in your bank account enough?

What’s next, NASCAR to be re-named: KIASCAR? Are we going to watch a bunch of front wheel drive rice-burners run around on Sunday’s? HELL NO!

Brian French, people like you have put this Country in the condition it is in today! Hooray for YOU, and screw everyone else!
I’m digusted…..anyone else ?
Marc on June 18th, 2009 3:09 pm

“Carbondo,” you ask if anyone else is disgusted, well yes I am.

Disgusted by simple-minded xenophobes such as your self. Hell you don’t know enough about the sport of NASCAR to correctly identify the sports president and CEO, it happens to be Brian FRANCE – not french.

A couple of questions for you:

1. How do you watch NASCAR, on TV? If so it’s (to quote you) “people like you have put this Country in the condition it is in today” because ALL TV’s purchased in the USA are made in Mexico, Taiwan, China and Malaysia.

2. There is no more an American sport than Major League Baseball, do you hate the baseball commissioner?

MLB has more players on team rosters born in foreign countries than American citizens.

And finally, “Carbondo,” you’re an idiot.
Marc on June 18th, 2009 3:37 pm

Bram, while I agree with much of what you posted I have to remind you I plainly said relying on two unnamed sources in the ESPN report isn’t proof of anything AND if true they are subject to court action for breaking the gag order.

Secondly if you’re classifying a link to the science of meth as “cute articles,” to bad get over it, facts are facts something the nitwit Matt linked to is apparently allergic to.

Finally, I redily admit I come to this discussion with a bias based on Mayfield’s despicable actions in his lawsuit against Evernham.

That bias was only strengthened by his near lunacy after this latest suspension.

Marching into Lowes post suspension was uncalled for, if he wanted to “get his story out” as he stated he didn’t have to break another rule to do it. Not to mention acting like a defiant little ten-year old by not submitting to the mandated rehabilitation plan.

Does anyone wonder why the hair follicle test Mayfield said he took hasn’t been entered into evidence this week? Simple, because he’s a BS artist of the first order and it wouldn’t prove his case anyway.

All that said, I’ve tried to be fair by calling on my personal experience with the subject and doing actual research on things I’ve either forgotten since leaving a well run testing program (U.S. Navy) or things that have changed in the last 9 years.
Bram on June 18th, 2009 7:21 pm

Marc, what you may know as reseach fact and what I know aren’t very different, it remains that the actual truth lies somewhere out there in a hayfield that we aren’t allowed to explore.

Asa far as the meth analysis and the effects it has, very impressive work by your friend, but still based in hearsay as to true relation of fact here. “Somebody has said, and somebody else agreed to pass it along after somebody else said…”, nothing more

The face of stories paseed back and forth may point to definite areas of speculative and circumstantial projection, but they aren’t facts.

As far as what has actually transpired, who knows other than the aprties involved, and lawyers will try anything to .. it’s their job.

Third-party, second-hand (and beyond) info, for the time being, is the court of public opinion.. base conclusion on that?

I wouldn’t. Whilst others may not, I value my rep and will protect it for now.
Carbondo on June 18th, 2009 8:13 pm

To my baseball fan MARC;
1) I have been to the Indy 500 30 times, more than your IQ, the Brickyard 400 13 times and I go to both races in Michigan every year ( season ticket holder ) and other Nascar races through the years. I am a born and raised American, are you ? I doubt it ! I cannot compare open wheel racing to that of Nascar. I believe Nascar to be the true American racing sport, therefore, I do not condone foreign countries attempting to take over OUR sport. Ever been to Hawaii ? Please tell me your not stupid (nevermind). I would like to keep Nascar an American sport, with American Cars competing, that’s all ! I know, I know…we now have Toyota. It certainly wasn’t my choice.
2) As far as baseball is concerned, that’s exactly my point !
3) I buy American products, YOU DON”T !
4) Now start your engine and get the hell outta here.
Charlie Turner on June 18th, 2009 10:01 pm

Ok. I know that this is probably too much to ask. But is it – POSSIBLE – to have the following discussion (Steve’ s original “Buzz” topic)….

“How will fans react if NASCAR allows other foreign makes into the Cup Series?”

…. without making it personal? On EITHER side? we’ve had two different posts written over the last couple weeks here, posing the similar point, and it doesn’t look like it.

Argue the point guys. But cut the bullshit name calling. Please. It doesn’t help your point.
Charlie Turner on June 18th, 2009 10:09 pm

My answer to Steve’s Buzz question/topic…

“How will fans react if NASCAR allows other foreign makes into the Cup Series?”

… is that Americans…U S citizens… will react how THEY WANT to react to that situation. Some will be opposed – some will be in favor. Many won’t give a shit. That’s the way it works here. If you REALLY DON’T RESPECT the rights of one or the other to have THEIR opinion, then you don’t really get it.

My thinking is, apathy will eventually rule for the majority of Americans, in this question as in many that are much more important. It sucks, but is what it is.
Bram on June 19th, 2009 2:43 pm

Well. Charlie, apathy is key element to any dicussion where one or more sides is out to foist a solution, in many cases any solution, regardless, even if that point hasn’t been clearly thought through.

Sometimes the raising of the balloon is enough to give cause for many to say ‘that’s that, its decided and what can I do’

As with so many other events that transpire in life, it’s much easier to come in after the fact, when its all acedemic.

There are some that have said NASCAR is no longer stable, and the Chevrolet and Dodge complications are simply proof that all good things come to an end.

NASCAR did have a time when in it’s infancy, when manufacturers were not involved, and NASCAR brass have put forth “we’ll do it without them” and “the door is open for others”

So what’s the worst case scenario? Single or no mfr with definitive sanction-owned solo spec in all aspects?

I personally see that as an option an the table. And before I get the obligatory “it’s that now” response, no, it isn’t , not to the degree of which I’m speaking.

But it is a light shown on a path that’s clearly beaconing for exploration and implementation.

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