Sprint Cup drivers say they were warned about making negative comments, support NASCAR fines

By Bob Pockrass

Friday, July 30, 2010

Denny Hamlin talks to the media prior to the season. Hamlin was one of two drivers fined by NASCAR for making negative comments about the sport.

Sam Cranston
NASCAR Illustrated

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LONG POND, Pa. – NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers said they are OK with NASCAR’s policy of fining drivers for comments considered materially damaging to the sport.

Ryan Newman and Denny Hamlin confirmed Friday that they were fined recently under the new NASCAR policy.

Drivers at Pocono Raceway for this weekend’s Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 said they understand what they can and cannot say publicly. NASCAR Chairman Brian France told drivers during their team meetings with NASCAR officials in January what type of comments could be subject to a fine.

“NASCAR made it clear to us this winter where the line was going to be drawn,” Richard Childress Racing driver Jeff Burton said. “I think I understand where that line is. There’s nothing I’ve ever said in the 16 years that I’ve been doing this that I would feel like would subject me to a fine.

“When Brian was making it clear to the group what would be fined, I was thinking, ‘How would that affect me?’ I just didn’t feel like I would be affected by it.”

Sprint Cup Series points leader Kevin Harvick compared NASCAR’s stance to any employee speaking bad about an employer.

“If you got up here and said [your company] sucked, you’d get fired,” Harvick said. “In the end, it’s everyone’s responsibility to make sure that the sport is going in the right direction.

“‘Have at it boys’ on the race track is different than off the race track. … Most of us wouldn’t be near as lucky having the jobs that we have if we didn’t have this sport. So it’s partially the responsibility of all of us to make sure that it goes in the right direction.”

With one of the fines reported to be $50,000, that’s enough for drivers to take notice.

“You can pretty much say whatever you want whenever you want, but when it comes down to the integrity of the sport and stuff, that’s [NASCAR’s] soft spot,” said Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kyle Busch. “If you ever thought you were going to touch something that you shouldn’t, that’s where it’s at. … It’s not in my budget so I’m not going to say anything.”

Burton said he didn’t know which comments got Hamlin and Newman fined.

“There’s an appropriate place and time to say what you feel,” Burton said. “One of the great things about our sport is the ability to show your emotion, show how you’re feeling.

“We need to keep that. There is a line we cross where we’re not being productive, we’re being negative. We need to be careful with that.”

Newman said he wished the fines had remained private because announcing the fines would bring negative publicity to the sport.

Harvick agreed.

“There are a lot of people that are involved in decisions like that and lots of people know,” Harvick said. “Honestly, I don’t think it’s anybody’s business. … It’s better to keep it between the teams because it’s simpler.”

NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said the sanctioning body doesn’t mind criticism.

“Any action taken by NASCAR has nothing to do with the drivers expressing an opinion; it’s focused on actions or comments that materially damage the sport,” Poston said in a statement. “We have specifically discussed this in meetings with teams, drivers and stakeholders.”