Superspeedway racing tends to bring out the worst in everyone and this weekend in Talladega was no different. We had accusations of team orders, then subsequent denials, crew chiefs telling drivers to wreck on purpose, blatant cheating and complaints from everyone on track about the driving. There has been shock and outrage from the NASCAR press corps and the sport’s fan base. After all, who knew any of this went on?!
We’re Shocked Someone May Have Been Cheating
SBNation’s Jeff Gluck posted a story yesterday with audio from #48 crew chief Chad Knaus. Knaus is heard telling Jimmie Johnson to “crack the back of the car” if they win. Presumably they were beyond the allowed tolerances for whatever reason.
Knaus admitted the intention saying he was, “ Just being proactive, I just told Jimmie, ‘Look, man – we’ve just got to make sure there’s a tire mark or some type of visible damage.’ Just because cars do move when you race them like that.”
This ended up being the story du jour on Wednesday. It was unbelievable that a team could be working in the gray area – no one does that! Of course we already knew Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus were cheaters…
The Roush Team Orders
Jack Roush telling his drivers to stick with Ford teams!? Ridiculous.
This was the outrage of the weekend after word seeped out that Ford and Roush had, at the very least, made it clear that their teams should stick together at Talladega.
Ford and Roush both denied “orders” were issued, but it was pretty clear what the expectation was.
The way the talk was this weekend though you would have thought Roush was the only one that made this expectation clear. Of course anybody with two eyes and a basic understanding of the sport could see every other team on track had done the same, and why wouldn’t they? As I wrote on Monday, you draft with who brought you.
You Feel Double Crossed?
Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon were both beside themselves after the race Sunday. They had committed dancing partners who they felt abandoned, or sabotaged them in favor of teammates. It’s a cruel world.
Stewart told SB Nation:
“It’s a shame, because I’ve never seen more politics in a race go on in my life than what I saw this weekend…I think the car owners are to blame, the manufacturers are to blame and the fans don’t deserve that.“
Gordon echoed Stewart, saying after the race:
“I don’t think [Trevor Bayne] really ever had any intentions of pushing me, and if he did, the Ford folks told him to do something different. It’s politics, that’s part of it.”
As they say, it’s business, it’s not personal. And of all people I would expect Gordon and Stewart to know that. It’s true it’s unfortunate for the fans, it stinks for those who got the shaft, but the fact is it’s reality. Welcome to NASCAR boys.
Hey Trevor, Cool It With The Hyperbole
Speaking of distraught, Trevor Bayne. He’s young and apparently doesn’t know when to go light on the hyperbole. In an interview with SceneDaily he said:
“I was caught in the worst situation I could have ever been in.”
Devastating. I’ll bet there was some cringing at Roush after that interview.
He did go on to say that he wasn’t forced to switch drafting partners but felt it was his role as Kenseth’s teammate. Either way, nobody can fault him for making the decision he made – not even Jeff Gordon. He’s in a precarious position at Roush and needs to do what he has to do to keep the bosses happy and his butt in a ride.
A lesson though (not for our interests but his own) when you’re trying to make a good impression, toe the company line.
This whole week has left me shaking my head and rolling my eyes. While we don’t necessarily get to be witness to some of this stuff on a weekly basis, it happens that often. No one should be surprised about ANY of this. Consider this week a window into NASCAR reality.
Now on to Martinsville and a decidedly less controversial setting.
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We learned a lot through the media tour this week. NASCAR is changing the points system. RPM has a new CEO, who happens to also be female. Felix Sabates has a lot of ideas for how to make things better (on second thought, not sure we learned anything there). Larry McReynolds thinks the sport’s media is too negative. And some in the sport’s press corps have thin skin. All in all, an enlightening week.
Perhaps most enlightening though were those comments from McReynolds and the backlash he incurred. Serving as EGR’s MC on Monday, McReynolds told a less than receptive crowd to be “more positive.” The snark and angry responses that ensued were large in number, but not exactly surprising. I’m sure some of you saw them.
Monte Dutton of the Gaston Gazette wrote:
McReynolds and his (Fox) mates would much rather talk about ingrown toenails than empty seats. He seldom used the noun “sport” without the modifier “our.” He perhaps considers himself uniquely qualified to lecture on the subject of ethics, as one of his employers is fond of proclaiming itself “fair and balanced.”
And Jeff Gluck of SB Nation wrote:
At the very least, offering a large group of people suggestions on how to do their jobs makes everyone defensive, and it’s certainly not going to make anyone change how they do their jobs.
Point taken Jeff.
Thanks for the ethics lesson… not
The fact is, McReynolds was always going to lose with these comments. Reporters aren’t going to admit (if they are) that they have taken a negative slant, and fans aren’t going to admit their outlook on the sport is at least, in some measure, colored by what they read and hear (it is). I’m not sure what the impetus was for McReynolds to make these comments, but they were a not so great idea.
The common refrain out of much of the press corps was: “we’re just telling like it is.” And since NASCAR’s media is a bastion of journalism in this country, why should anyone be questioning them? They are, of course, always objective, and never delve into opinion or question the decisions of the sport’s drivers, team executives, team owners, sanctioning body etc. Just the facts.
Snark aside, Larry McReynolds probably shouldn’t be lecturing anyone on ethics in journalism. And the sport’s press corps is right that they have a moral and ethical responsibility to “seek truth and report it.” Still what McReynolds said contains at least a grain of truth.
As a side note, after railing against McReynolds (inherently a negative thing), it took just a couple of days for some members of the press corps to further strengthen McReynolds’ point. No sooner had NASCAR announced the points change on Wednesday, had the sports media begun tearing it apart. These scathing editorials from some people who are normally tasked with writing the news, no doubt has colored perception. Or maybe not?
Fans can think for themselves
Jeff Gluck wrote:
Fans can think for themselves and make up their own minds – about everything.
One of the first things you learn in the news business is that every decision you make when you’re crafting your story is a matter of opinion. Every comma, every period, every sentence not written, every shot edited out, they’re all editorial decisions that can change the meaning of a story. That in turn can affect how the story is told to the readers, viewers or listeners, and how they see a particular event.
While Gluck is absolutely correct, that fans are capable of thinking for themselves, as a steward of the news, and perceived expert on the sport, what he and others say matters. It especially matters to those who closely read and follow what he and other favorites have to say.
Whether you want to admit it or not, unless you’re personally witnessing events, the person or organization you’re getting your news and information from colors your perception. And there is nothing wrong with that.
For instance, I like college football, but I’m not an expert on recruiting – what Rivals.com and other ranking experts have to say about a recruit absolutely affects my opinion of said recruit. The same is true in NASCAR. People tend to defer to those who have more knowledge than they have, it’s human nature.
Some final thoughts
I didn’t agree with everything Larry McReynolds had to say on Monday, but I do think he made a good point about the environment that has enveloped the sport’s media. Some in the press corps write about NASCAR with clear disdain. And I think there is a good deal more negativity that permeates NASCAR than other sports – I think a lot of that has to do with respect for leadership at the top (‘Craftsman World Truck Series’ anyone?).
I know this going to sound ground breaking, but I also think it’s possible to be factual and honest without being inflammatory and unnecessarily negative – on the flip side it’s possible to do all that without being ‘Pollyanna’ish.
Until we once again strike that balance though these charges of negativity are going to continue to pop up. And until the collective press corps is willing to look in a mirror and see itself for what it is, warts and all (some proved on Monday they aren’t ready), nothing is going to change.
The fourth estate is alive and well in NASCAR. There is no doubt about that. For the sake of the sport though, that may or may not be a good thing.
As the Danica Patrick bandwagon steams toward the Daytona Nationwide Series race next weekend, don’t worry about saving me a seat just yet. Finishing sixth in her first ever stock car event is commendable, but I think it’s a bit early to crown her the next big thing.
In case you missed it, Patrick recovered from a late race spin through the tri-oval grass at Daytona to finish sixth in her debut race in the ARCA Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200. She kept her nose clean, didn’t give up, and brought home a car with all the fenders still on it. Which in itself is quite an achievement in the ARCA Series. But lets try and remember what she was up against.
Stop by Jayski’s story links page for February 7th and you will find no less then 15 articles about Danica’s debut. Most of which contain quite a bit of praise for the 27 year old driver, some of which she deserves, and some she doesn’t.
Danica took on the ARCA Series at Daytona in an ARCA car powered by Hendrick and put together by JR Motorsports. She had a veteran crew chief on the box (Tony Eury Jr.) and had a combination of JR Motorsports Nationwide Series guys and Hendrick Motorsports Cup guys working on and pitting her race car. Not a bad way to start off a stock car career.
And not to knock the ARCA Series, as it’s a great place to gain valuable experience on bigger tracks, but this is the same series that David Stremme once won a race at Michigan by lapping the entire field once, and up to ninth place twice.
So before we crown her and heap a ton of ridiculous expectations on her, let’s allow her to run a few races and gain some experience against some tougher competition. I think it’s only fair.
And just as a side note, I know there is a certain motorsports writer (ahem Jeff Gluck) who, before the season started, posed an interesting question and bet to his readers and Twitter followers. He wanted to know who would outperform the other this season, John Wes Townley or Danica Patrick. Give round one to Townley, who followed up a fourth place run in last year’s ARCA opener with a third place run this year.
The state of traditional media, print, broadcast or otherwise, throughout the United States is at best rocky right now, at worst, it’s at death’s door. While many would argue the reports of the demise of traditional media are overstated or exaggerated, one thing is for sure, it ain’t like it used to be.
The number of “traditional” media covering NASCAR every weekend are rapidly declining. The use of AP wire stories and advent of Internet news sites has made the costly coverage of NASCAR unnecessary. The death of newspapers and cost cutting in media has aided that decline and become the new normal.
That new normal became disturbingly clear on Tuesday as Street and Smith’s shut down the venerable NASCAR Scene. The weekly publication which had been around since 1977 under one name or another was a standard among fans and a mainstay in the garage.
Unfortunately Street and Smith’s could no longer make NASCAR Scene (or turn SceneDaily.com into) a profitable product for their business.
This move left some of the most experienced and well-respected journalists in the garage without jobs and the sport without a few of its biggest advocates. While certainly some will find jobs elsewhere, nothing on the horizon will fill the void being left by Scene.
Last spring I wrote on here about the Future of NASCAR Media. What that future is, is still hard to say. We lost David Poole last spring and his spot at the Charlotte Observer was never really filled. While Jim Utter has become the lead motorsports reporter for the paper, he has other responsibilities, including covering the UNC Charlotte 49ers. Now NASCAR Scene is gone and SceneDaily.com will no doubt become a scaled back version of its former self.
Though some traditional media in the form of ESPN and FoxSports among others remain entrenched in the sport, the burden is increasingly falling to new media. The problem that medium faces though is a familiar one to those trying to keep traditional publications afloat: how to monetize them effectively. It’s a shame Street and Smith’s couldn’t find a way to make SceneDaily.com their profitable vehicle.
Tuesday was a sad day for the sport. The NASCAR Scene reporters were/are among the best. They brought experience and expertise and a consistent outlet for news and information. Here’s hoping they all land on their feet (preferably somewhere in the garage before Daytona).
If you follow us on twitter, you may have seen me point this out over the weekend (NASCAR Scene writer Jeff Gluck beat me to the punch with a post about this incident on his blog). During the regular press availability for the Chase contenders this weekend Juan Pablo Montoya got a surprise scolding from a reporter.
The reporter, who identified himself as Michael Morales from American Forces Radio and Television Service, Voice of America and Radio and TV Marti was clearly agitated about not being able to secure a one-on-one interview with Montoya.
Here is what ensued:
MM: Micheal Morales, the American Forces Radio and Television Service, Voice of America as well as radio and TV Marti. I want to tell you this in English because I want everyone to understand what we have been going through with you. In the past with Adrian Fernandez, Carlos Contreras, Felix Sabates, the Spanish language media didn’t have any problems getting a one-to-one interview. You came to NASCAR with a different attitude…the attitude is whenever we tried to get an interview with you on a one-to-one we are always denied, you are not available… JPM: (Montoya interrupts) I’m not in charge of making… MM: May I finish please? May I finish. This is something that you must understand, Spanish language media is also important, especially for you, OK? JPM: So what’s the question? MM: The question is was it you or was it your people? JPM: I don’t make the decisions. They tell me where to go and what to do…I don’t make the decisions of what interviews to do they think which… MM: (Morales interrupts) That’s not true. JPM: …interviews are worth doing and which ones are not, you know what I mean? There’s always a value… MM: So we’re not important? JPM: I don’t know? Is USA Today more worth it for Target than a small latin interview? I would think so. And there is certain amount of time you always spend with the media and I think there is time always spent with…I do, myself being Colombian, I try to do a lot of interviews…Diego’s beside you and I do a lot of interviews with them and they cover a lot of Colombian media. NASCAR brought some Colombian media and Latin media to Daytona, so because you haven’t got an interview I wouldn’t assume everybody didn’t.
MM: Micheal Morales, the American Forces Radio and Television Service, Voice of America as well as radio and TV Marti. I want to tell you this in English because I want everyone to understand what we have been going through with you. In the past with Adrian Fernandez, Carlos Contreras, Felix Sabates, the Spanish language media didn’t have any problems getting a one-to-one interview. You came to NASCAR with a different attitude…the attitude is whenever we tried to get an interview with you on a one-to-one we are always denied, you are not available…
JPM: (Montoya interrupts) I’m not in charge of making…
MM: May I finish please? May I finish. This is something that you must understand, Spanish language media is also important, especially for you, OK?
JPM: So what’s the question?
MM: The question is was it you or was it your people?
JPM: I don’t make the decisions. They tell me where to go and what to do…I don’t make the decisions of what interviews to do they think which…
MM: (Morales interrupts) That’s not true.
JPM: …interviews are worth doing and which ones are not, you know what I mean? There’s always a value…
MM: So we’re not important?
JPM: I don’t know? Is USA Today more worth it for Target than a small latin interview? I would think so. And there is certain amount of time you always spend with the media and I think there is time always spent with…I do, myself being Colombian, I try to do a lot of interviews…Diego’s beside you and I do a lot of interviews with them and they cover a lot of Colombian media. NASCAR brought some Colombian media and Latin media to Daytona, so because you haven’t got an interview I wouldn’t assume everybody didn’t.
They went on to exchange a few more words before the moderator cut them off. (EGR has posted the videos from the weekend press conference here. The exchange starts at the end of video one and continues onto the beginning of video two).
Let me start off by saying I hope this guy was OK with being blacklisted by the team, because he is never going to get a one-on-one with Montoya after that; and deservedly so.
I think what some don’t understand (this gentleman apparently) is as a PR person for a team, you can’t approve every one-on-one media request you get, especially if you have a popular driver (oh and the drivers aren’t handling the requests). How many media requests do you think Dale Jr.’s and Tony Stewart’s PR people turn down in a weekend? It’s a lot. It is simply impossible to grant every local and national media outlet what they want.
Not to mention as a PR person you have a commitment to the company (either the team or some of these people are directly employed by a sponsor) to get a sponsor as much exposure as possible. That means the USA Todays and the ESPNs get first dibs at interviews, no matter how many times you’ve asked for one.
Also part of this big media game is forming relationships with the individual PR people. It’s always helpful for them to be willing and happy to take your phone call; or answer an e-mail you’ve sent them. Sometimes if they can’t help you one weekend, they can squeeze you in during the week, or during the next weekend. Along with this is the amount of people who make these requests at the last minute. The PR people put together schedules very early in the week and if you’re not on it, you’re probably not getting an interview that weekend.
Another thing to consider is that Juan has had three PR people in the last two seasons. It’s difficult for someone to come into a new position and know who requested what, where in past seasons. Juan’s present PR person has been on the job for a couple of months. If he’s swamped with other media and sponsor commitments (oh yeah he’s there to race too), they’re probably not going to be able to make time for you. It’s that simple.
I commend Montoya for maintaining his cool and really showing some class during a very uncomfortable, very unprofessional incident. As Jeff Gluck pointed out, this incident “lends some insight into his personality…“