Steve Waid: Payback is part of racing and NASCAR knows it

By Steve Waid
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
CJM Racing's Denny Hamlin (11) gets underneath Brad Keselowski's bumper during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Ford 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. (LaDon George / NASCAR Scene)

CJM Racing's Denny Hamlin (11) gets underneath Brad Keselowski's bumper during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Ford 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

LaDon George
NASCAR Scene

Related stories: Denny Hamlin makes good on threat, spins Brad Keselowski at Homestead

Juan Pablo Montoya earns two-lap penalty for aggressive driving after contact with Tony Stewart

COMMENTARY

I’m certainly not one to advocate that drivers go out and wreck each other during the course of a race, but when it comes to retribution, I say let ‘em do it – within reason, of course.

It doesn’t necessarily make for great racing, but it can be fun for the fans. And given that they’ve complained loud and often that too many races have been boring, NASCAR can use all the fun it can get.

Fiery competitors with an attitude certainly could inject some excitement into NASCAR.

NASCAR has plenty of heroes. It needs more villains.

You may consider Brad Keselowski a hero or villain. Ditto for Denny Hamlin. But their ongoing disagreement, which culminated at Homestead-Miami Speedway, provided some real spark to the season.

Hamlin was fed up with Keselowski, whom he claimed had “fouled” him multiple times during the year. Hamlin said payback would be hell, and he planned to do it.

He did at Homestead when he caught Keselowski and sent him into a spin early in the Ford 300 Nationwide Series race.

Then, in the Ford 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup race, Tony Stewart and Juan Pablo Montoya – neither the meek type – got into it.

Montoya bumped Stewart. Then Stewart whacked Montoya causing a flat tire and a bump into the wall.

After a stint in the garage Montoya returned to the race and delivered his payback. He bumped Stewart and sent him sliding into the grass.

Don’t you know the old guys like Bobby Allison, Richard Petty and David Pearson loved it? Paybacks have returned! Just like we used to do ‘em!

Speaking of Allison and Petty, they were bitter rivals in 1972. Petty was the reigning champion. and Allison, racing for Junior Johnson, wanted to unseat him.

On the short tracks, particularly Martinsville and the old track in North Wilkesboro, N.C., they slammed into each other so hard and so often their cars looked like candidates for the junkyard. They were never personal in their verbal attacks but they made clear who they thought was at fault and what would be done about it.

And NASCAR sat back and did nothing. Why bother? This type of racing was routine at the time. Paybacks were made on the track, as they were at Homestead.

I think NASCAR fully realized what was going on and had no problem with retribution. That’s probably why its penalties for Hamlin and Montoya were minor.

Hamlin was penalized just one lap. NASCAR pretty much had to hit him with something since he’d been announcing all week that Keselowski would get his.

Montoya was penalized two laps, and that didn’t matter much to him since he was already down more than 20 laps.

I think NASCAR has no problem with drivers settling their issues on the track.

And it should have no problem with trash talking, as long as it’s not profanity-laden. It’s inevitable. If drivers don’t do it on camera, just check out Twitter or Facebook.

But I am certain NASCAR has its limits - which it should. And lest anyone think I am advocating mayhem, I am not.

For example, there is a vast difference between a bump and spin and deliberate violent contact that can cause injury.

If any other innocent driver is involved in an act of retribution NASCAR needs to quickly respond with a harsh penalty.

No payback on pit road. The consequences could be dire.

Again, judgment should be harsh.

Otherwise, payback is part of racing. Again, I think NASCAR is well aware of that. It’s one reason it had a meeting with Keselowski to tell him he needed to cultivate friends, not enemies.

Let ‘em settle it themselves and the fans will choose their heroes and villains.

Comments

11 responses to "Steve Waid: Payback is part of racing and NASCAR knows it". Post a Comment.
  1. 1
    gwen_susie388 said:
    Nov 25, 2009 at 12:54 PM

    Wait....Haven't we all commented on this already? Basically same story, maybe a little different.... same picture, Different Title.

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  2. 2
    kcdalego said:
    Nov 25, 2009 at 4:03 PM

    I THINK DENNY HAMLIN IS A FIRST CLASS JERK. AND IF DALE,JR. HAD ANY CLASS HE WOULD TELL DENNY TO LAY OFF CAUSE HE DON'T NEED A WRECKED RACECAR. DENNY OUGHT TO STOP & THINK ABOUT ALL THIS THAT IT WAS JUNIOR WHO GOT HIM A RIDE IN NASCAR & NOW HE WANTS TO TEAR UP HIS CAR. DENNY IS JUST A BIG OLD CRYBABY.IT TAKES ALL KINDS TO RACE. HE BUMPED BRAD ALL THEM TIMES & BRAD NEVER ONCE LOST A LAP OR HIT THE WALL, NOW WHO HAS BETTER CAR CONTROL?

    HAPPY THANKSGING TO YOU ALL

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  3. 3
    dslund said:
    Nov 25, 2009 at 4:32 PM

    Denny is nothing but a whiner a crybaby and anything else anyone can think of ..He needs to learn he is not a fulltime nationwide driver and he tends to forget he is in there territory when he races against Brad ..I hope oneday he really reaps his rewards when someone he comes up against doesn't let up and loses it with him and takes him out of competition ..all I can say is hope I am watching when they do as I will be cheering them on to dump him ..So grow up Denny your childish and all ..

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  4. 4
    br0412 said:
    Nov 25, 2009 at 5:04 PM

    I really liked Denny until this year and he has become another Kyle. I just hope the two of them do not corrupt Joey. It seems like this is the type of drivers Joe Gibbs wants. I root for the 20, but am feed up with Kyle and Denny. Both are jerks and they think everyone should roll over for them. Denny started this and I hope Brad takes him out.

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  5. 5
    zebsdad said:
    Nov 25, 2009 at 5:57 PM

    Brad got what he deserved. He's not much better than a rough rider. His attitude seems to be get out of the way of I'll getcha.

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  6. 6
    gatenpin said:
    Nov 25, 2009 at 6:18 PM

    Just because Brad kept his car under control does not make him a better driver. Look at the way Brad and Denny hit one another. Brad hits with obvious malice while Denny hits in a way that the other driver can keep control and not be hurt. By the way, Brad started this mess by wrecking several drivers this year. No matter who owns the darn car, Denny had the right to "get even". GO DENNY!!!!! Don't allow this ROOKIE to keep making enemies. Brad had better learn to work with the other drivers and make friends on the track.

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  7. 7
    faulltw said:
    Nov 25, 2009 at 6:44 PM

    I have to agree with #3 and 4. I liked Denny when he first started, but when his luck turned he bacame a whiner. Take the good with the bad.

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  8. 8
    scary2 said:
    Nov 25, 2009 at 8:11 PM

    It's not about Denny..It"s the new kid on the block, THE A-Hole Brad.. Next year when he's with the BIG BOYS racing full time he will either show respect or go home every week (safely I hope) on the hook...come on you veterans kick his butt until he learns respect HAPPY GOOBLE DAY

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  9. 9
    SBeau said:
    Nov 26, 2009 at 3:14 PM

    No matter the opinion, it does make the show more entertaining...Which is exactly why I hope David Reutiman remembers Pocono vividly. And someone needs to give Kyle Petty a one race deal this fall for the Dover race ;)

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  10. 10
    STP43FAN said:
    Nov 28, 2009 at 3:31 PM

    What is the matter with you, Steve? Thuggery is needed to inject some fun into NASCAR?

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  11. 11
    teema said:
    Nov 28, 2009 at 6:33 PM

    #9...I agree...I hope David remembers what Denny did to him for the win(effectively taking Reutimann out of the chase)and races with that in the back of his mind next year ,anytime he is around Hamlin!!!

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