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Debbi Willis, Daw613@bigfoot.com

Contenders and Contradictions

Where are all the contenders? Mid-season is here and we are beginning to see domination take place again such as the dreadful 1998 season produced. Is that what is to become of this season? What happened to parity and a different winner every race? I was under the impression NASCAR made that a primary goal. Perhaps their goals have changed to deflect undesirable attention due to the multitude of contradictions they've created. And yes, they've created the contradictions with the variety of stories. Like the track doctor waffling from day to day when confronted about Dale's cause of death and the full-face vs open-face helmet to the suddenly discovered broken-torn-ripped-cut-whatever seatbelt. The seatbelt has become part of the larger than life legend now. Nonetheless, contradictions stir controversy, controversy creates confusion and confusion destroys contenders.

How could approximately 10 weeks between seasons strip these teams of all their competitiveness? I don't think those 10 weeks did. Did that much change that they are trying to catch up again? Again, I don't think so. Did Nascar issue one set of rules to some teams and another set to other teams to mix up the competition? No, that'd be too obvious although it seems inspection has been a key factor for some of the teams. Watching ill-handling cars makes me wonder about the crews, but I know they all still know their jobs. Seeing drivers fight a car around the track leaves me tired for the driver and wondering about the crews again. Smoke billowing from blown engines in teams that rarely experience blown engines raise eyebrows wondering what's going on in the engine shops. And then it begins to dawn on me: distraction. The whole season is distracted. And no one, with all being human, can help it.

At the risk of being redundant, I believe two things have unnerved this season and caused an unescapable distraction for many of the teams as they return to Daytona . The most major event in the history of NASCAR was Dale Earnhardt's death. Undeniably, as Kyle Petty aptly stated soon afterwards, Dale's death single-handedly knocked racing and the world off it's pace. I am not saying Dale is any better, more important or special than any of the other very special drivers we've lost in years past. Anyone's life is not a degree more than another. No offenses are intended and hopefully none taken. I'm simply saying he was a major force in the sport and had a major impact on the world we all shared with him. And, the other thing that has unnerved this season as much as losing Dale has been all the contradictions. Call it whatever suits you. Jokes about conspiracy theories abound but the bottom line is that the "mystery" of Dale's death is no mystery. At a time when strong honest leadership was critical, NASCAR's leadership floundered and quite possibly, failed. NASCAR has only contradicted itself so much to make it appear to be such a mystery, so that the most obvious fact of all won't lay a responsibility where NASCAR doesn't want to claim it. And the reality is, by all appearances, this is very saavy business-mindedness. If only NASCAR's "business" was only business and not so tied into the hearts of it's fans and employees. Keep in mind, "employees" includes every driver, every crewmember and every owner, who all have families, too.

And with Richmond, Mike Helton turned the tide. In Richmond, in private conversations with all the drivers, Helton laid it on the line and everyone started toeing that line. The fiery Bill Simpson buckled in to the pressure from NASCAR and compromised in the name of good business and the "future of racing". With Richmond, a PR campaign was launched and discreetly fed to the media with credible names like Dale Earnhardt Jr, Bill Simpson, and Richard Petty. Jr's outspoken "knowing-what-he-knows-and-is-comfortable-with-it-and-trusts-Helton" statement convinced some fans that it must be ok because Dale Jr said it is, and if he's ok with it, why aren't they? However, when someone is living with the grief (and their own youth) day in and day out, the wear and tear of emotions causes one to want it over with and move on with life. Bill Simpson being satisfied made NASCAR look better (whether he is or not is not of consequence). And when Richard Petty spoke everybody listened and the "King" contradicted himself from many other interviews with his new views of Dale Earnhardt. Could it be not having to face the Man made it easier to discount his impact on a sport Richard likes taking credit for building? Or, on the other hand might it be that if Richard was asked to make these statements in an interview, did he calculatedly say what he knew might really perturb (to put it mildly) the largest legion of fans in the history of the sport? He'd weathered worst and eventually he wouldn't be weathering it all but NASCAR would. If NASCAR wanted the heat to die down, maybe he'd just make the heat smolder for the rest of the season instead? Still waters still run deep, and Richard Petty is seriously still water. Answers escape as contenders fight to get back in the race and contradictions disturb the logic of the average person. Let the contenders return. Let the season begin anew, but let's not forget lest we grow complacent.... again.

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