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Debbi Willis, Daw613@bigfoot.com

Deals

The face of Nascar has changed drastically in recent years, and keeps on changing! I'm not talking about the new rookie crop, either. I am talking about the hustle bustle of doing business during the race (especially on the superspeedways) in the pits between crew chiefs and owners in the name of strategy for an advantage! With our immediate media coverage to everyone these days, more and more time during a race is spent in the pits covering all the "business" being done than focusing on the cars on the track! Imagine this: the car has finally come around and the driver is on the move through the pack. The directive comes from the pits to 'work with such and such, now, we just made a deal for help'. Instead of being the driver on the move, though he becomes part of two cars like milestones around each others necks trying to tandem-drive through the pack. Whatever happened to knowing and trusting who you can run with and next to?

Friendly, familiar competition seemingly has been replaced by the multi-car teams and "deals". Through the years, drivers have come to know it's dangerous with Earnhardt behind you unless you're outrunning him REALLY well. Martin is such a clean driver, those who aren't his fans think he's "too nice" for his own good! Terry Labonte isn't called the Iceman for nothing, he can dice it up with the best - win or lose- he doesn't back out. Ernie Irvan proved risky to be near on the track long before his accident but was understood because of his competitive nature. Of course, that same nature brought him back against all the odds from his near fatal accident at Michigan. Rookies are understandably shied away from until they prove they can race hard without incident, such as Tony Stewart did leap frogging Earnhardt several times last year in various races. The variety of styles is as endless as the variety of fans! And drivers KNOW each other and who likes who and who can be trusted, thus the Dale and Dale show at Daytona (usually) every season! Rivalries are built on this knowledge and understanding of each other. Friendships are as obvious on the track as they are off.

So why "deal"? Why not let the drivers sort themselves on the track as the race progresses? "Reading the track" and the race's progress is a gift most racers develop with experience. Different makes and models, different drivers and styles, different caliber of teams all make up the sport and competition fans seek. Some are more successful more often than others but all these differences are what keeps the sport alive and well! Deals only overshadow the sport with the insinuation that someone is paying someone off when a deal is made! Most other sports have suffered the sneaky suspicion that money can sway the outcome if the right '"deal" is made! So far, money's involvement is evidenced by the performance and budgets of the multi-car teams, not the "deals" made for the drivers from the pits.

When a "deal" is made, such as the one that took place between DJ and Mark Martin in Daytona, who agrees to lose? Someone has to concede. Someone has to say, 'OK, I'll follow'... 'second's better than nothing'.... 'sure, you go first'.... Now, WHO in their right mind would agree to that? Would a driver be doing his job if he agreed and stuck to it? What happens when a rogue card is dealt such as Jeff Burton was at Daytona? Daytona 99 had unlikely bedfellows in Gordon and Earnhardt working together in the last laps. Seems neither is very lucky in the on-track partnering deals... Earnhardts teammate is still learning to be one, and Gordon and Terry have rarely been close enough in the races to work together very often! One could ask, did Dale agree to take second? I doubt it. Gordon's brazenly foolish move was simply followed quickly by Dale because of the sudden path opened up by everyone around Gordon to avoid a catastrophe. But, in the world of deals, could it have been an agreed upon finish? How do these "deals" differ from the Las Vegas oddsmakers bets then?

"Deals" have no place in racing. Crew chiefs and owners have no business making them in the pits. The silent respect and knowing each other should be sufficient on the track and if two drivers work together on the track, great! Watching Rusty and Jeremy on the track when Jeremy first joined the team was incredible! Not many teammates ever worked that good together before! A man's word is still an important asset and very honorable today. Emotions often get in the way though of practicality. DJ has taken a beating by the fans for deserting Mark Martin, but had he followed thru, who's to say Mark wouldn't have followed his teammate and left DJ behind? Would Mark have been doing his job, if he'd agreed to follow? I don't think so. Fans have more say about and within the sport than ever before with the growth of Nascar. Let's be realistic. Would Mark's fans want to know that DJ LET Mark win by following him? Again, I don't think so. Driving is their job. Their job depends on them doing what is primarily best for the team, the owner and their positions. Deals don't belong on the job or in the sport of Nascar!

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