Changes and Their Causes

Fan Commentary by Grandstand Bob

As it's almost impossible to be a Cubs fan without an inordinate amount of optimism, it's tough to be a NASCAR fan without a little bit of skepticism, and sometimes even some cynicism. NASCAR's decision regarding racing back to the caution make me optimistic, skeptical and cynical all at the same time.

I was optimistic, because Brian France made the decision quickly, and that left me almost believing that NASCAR will soon be picking up its dragging feet on other issues, like soft walls and restrictor plates. Cynicism crept into my mind, as I wondered whether this decision was made at this time to get Brian out on the right foot.  The skeptical part of me believes that Mike Helton's heart skipped two beats as he watched the field race right toward Dale Jarrett's wrecked car and the yellow flag, and that a near-tragedy finally caused a change.

The skeptical part of me fears that a similar hair-raising incident might be needed before NASCAR does something to tone down the potential tragedy that accompanies every restrictor-plate race. Like many of you, I will watch Sunday's race with my hands over my eyes, and I will genuinely fear for every driver's life.

The unthinkable happened at Daytona a few years back, but little has changed to make the racing safer. Yes, they have made the fuel cells smaller at these tracks, in a failed effort to break up the field. And, they have mandated safety harnesses to eliminate some of the fatal potential of direct impacts. Still, 30 to 40 cars will race inches apart for much of the afternoon, as drivers and fans alike pray that no one bobbles with the steering wheel.

Why this is allowed to continue, while racing back to the caution has been stopped is confusing to me. Though both are exciting to fans, both are also inherently dangerous. Maybe it's because we've become too numb to the potential of real tragedy. I mean, we've all seen the spectacular end-over-end and upside down crashes of Talladega and Daytona, and because we're accustomed to see drivers walk away from those crashes, it's easy to overlook what is really going on when a car is out of control like that.

Maybe Brian France will make all of my cynicism and pessimism obsolete by quickly making moves to improve the sport, as the decision to eliminate racing back to the caution flag was. Maybe he's just been quietly waiting to make the decisions that fans and drivers have wanted. Maybe we'll see more side-by-side racing and lower ticket prices. Maybe we'll see some consistency in decision-making and punishment.

Of course, as much as we demand changes, many of us are afraid of the changes that are inevitably coming with not only the ascension of the newest France, but also the addition of Nextel as a title sponsor. In five years, we might not even recognize the sport, and it might not even matter. Is that skepticism, optimism or just plain reality?

Grandstand Bob Profile and Past Columns

note: This opinions expressed in this column are those of writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions or positions of ARS Racing Outlet or its parent company, Beydler and Bell, LLC.