Lee Montgomery: Passionate drivers make NASCAR special

By Lee Montgomery - Associate Editor
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Braun Racing's Brian Vickers (left) spins out after getting hit from behind by Michael Waltrip Racing's Scott Speed during the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. (Jeff Velte / NASCAR Scene)

Braun Racing's Brian Vickers (left) spins out after getting hit from behind by Michael Waltrip Racing's Scott Speed during the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Jeff Velte
NASCAR Scene

COMMENTARY

What do we make of the dust-up between Brian Vickers and Scott Speed during and after the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway?

We love it. Well, I love it. The folks at Red Bull Racing may not be too thrilled, but oh, well.

Vickers and Speed, you know, are teammates at Red Bull – at least in the Sprint Cup Series. In Nationwide, Vickers drives for Braun Racing and Speed for Michael Waltrip Racing.

But from the looks of things, it wouldn’t have mattered if they had been brothers.

Speed got in the back of Vickers in the closing laps at NHMS, costing Vickers many positions as he slid up and spanked the wall. Vickers retaliated, sort of, by hitting the back of Speed’s Red Bull-sponsored car.

Now, I’m not a big fan of any driver hitting a car on or near pit road after a race, but I appreciate Vickers’ passion. And Speed’s too, for that matter.

And let’s not overlook that passion. Fans always bemoan drivers as corporate puppets, saying they don’t show enough emotion, that they don’t say or do anything their sponsors and NASCAR commands.

I’ve always thought that was ridiculous. Drivers do and say pretty much whatever they want, within reason. Put yourself in their shoes and see if you don’t act a little different.

Still, we’ve seen lots of emotion this year, and fans don’t like it. Kyle Busch tries to be a rock star – and fans hate it. That’s fine, but he was just showing some emotion, folks.

And for all of Busch’s sulking after he loses, I can appreciate why. He’s passionate. He hates to lose.

Isn’t that what Tony Stewart fans said of their driver back when Stewart was often nothing more than a whining bully? Yet, when Busch does the same, he gets blasted by fans.

And now teammates get into it. In a Nationwide race. And they weren’t even racing for the lead.

Folks, let us never forget that drivers are full of emotion, full of passion. Sometimes they don’t handle it well, and sometimes they do.

But if you think they are soulless robots, think again.

Comments

5 responses to "Lee Montgomery: Passionate drivers make NASCAR special". Post a Comment.
  1. 1
    Anonymous said:
    Jun 28, 2009 at 12:20 PM

    let's fight!!!!!!!!

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  2. 2
    songerofthesouth said:
    Jun 28, 2009 at 12:52 PM

    Uh, Lee, I respect your opines a majority of the time, but what in the heck were you thinking when you said:

    "Isn’t that what Tony Stewart fans said of their driver back when Stewart was often nothing more than a whining bully? Yet, when Busch does the same, he gets blasted by fans."

    Multitudes of fans took Stewart to task for having a bad attitude at the time it was going on. I'm not really sure where that thought pattern came from on your part.

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  3. 3
    aaamt2003 said:
    Jun 28, 2009 at 6:41 PM

    If you are not passionate about what you do, you will never succeed at what it is you do.

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  4. 4
    Anonymous said:
    Jun 29, 2009 at 6:34 AM

    good hard racing, finialy a good race sunday, actually the weekend was good racing. all race drivers are different, thats the reason some are more talked about then others. you have the borring ones and you have the hated ones and the cry babies, and the great ones we like to see win.maybe nascar will get some fans back in the future.

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  5. 5
    Dyannah said:
    Jun 29, 2009 at 12:54 PM

    I agree that passionate drivers make NASCAR special. However, when one driver takes out his frustrations of losing finishing positions by banging-up the race car of another driver or when a driver demonstrates the thrill of victory by smashing a hand-crafted, hand-painted one of a kind trophy, those displays of emotion I can do without. Until the drivers use their own funds, time and skills to build the cars or create the trophies, they have no right to use either one to show their passion.

    It is human nature to be disappointed when we don't succeed at what we are trying to do. To whine, pout, be-little, stalk off, or retaliate isn't acceptable behavior for those we have chosen to admire or respect. The drivers I respect are those that have the maturity to acknowledge they aren't going to be able to win every race, but will give it their all, and if they win, will cherish the victory as a unique and special event that honors the sport of auto racing.

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