Click Here To Find Cool Nascar Items!

Turns out the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office doesn’t look too kindly on people doing 128MPH in a 45MPH zone. Well, they’ll let you drive away, but they will issue you one heck of a citation. What’s three times the legal limit, right?

If you live in the Charlotte area this has been THE story for the last couple of days. It made the front page of the state and local section of the Charlotte Observer yesterday morning, and at least one local TV station led with it at 5pm. Apparently there isn’t much going on.

From local coverage to national sports radio, the oddity of this story has been much talked about all over. And while not too many of us have done 128MPH in our personal vehicles, this is hardly the first time we’ve had drivers behaving badly out on public roads. In the last two seasons there has been two separate drivers popped for DUIs – Michael Annett and AJ Allmendinger. Both were put on probation by NASCAR.

The issue of off-track indiscretions raises a lot of questions about the limits of the sanctioning body. Other sports punish their athletes for off-field issues, but other sports also have codes of conduct athletes agree to adhere to. NASCAR doesn’t have one.

In situations like this, that lack of a policy leaves them without much leverage. Sure they’ve got the all encompassing “actions detrimental” at their disposal, but without laying out to the drivers just where they stand, severe penalties are very likely out of the question.

It’s interesting when these issues pop up (and yearly they pop up) to see what the reaction is from the fans and media. I recall being surprised from a post on the Allmendinger incident and from comment sections on websites throughout the internet how strong the feelings were about the probation handed down from NASCAR – actually in Allmendinger’s favor.

It’s always hard to gauge though just where people stand until they are forced to take a stance. But if we want to start early, from precedent we can suspect NASCAR may hand down probation to Busch – I’d assume a continuation of the probation he’s already on – but there won’t be any suspension.

Is it time for a personal conduct policy in NASCAR? I kind of think so.

Feel free to use this as your “Kyle Busch Speeding Ticket” sound off post. Talk amongst yourselves.

TheNASCARInsiders.com

Follow the Insiders on Twitter or be a fan on Facebook!

Click Here To Find Cool Nascar Items!

It seems that everywhere you go in Mooresville, or really the entire Charlotte area for that matter, you always seem to run into somebody who works in racing.  Those of you who read this blog that live in and around Charlotte will know what I’m talking about.  And maybe it is something that shouldn’t surprise me with as big of a community as NASCAR is and how concentrated the area is with racing people, but it always does.

I was out with my significant other recently, and as we walked into the restaurant for a nice dinner, I spotted a very well known Cup Series crew chief.  He was out with his family and blending in quite nicely.  Shockingly enough , he wasn’t decked out head to toe in his race gear (we do have normal clothes too), so I doubt anybody even recognized who he was.  I wonder though, if certain folks were out and about in other cities if they would be recognized.

After thinking about this, and wondering about these guys being recognized, I’ve come to believe there are probably two types of people in Charlotte.  There are those who are into racing, recognize people, but leave them alone and let them be normal people.  And the rest aren’t into racing and are clueless to those around them.  I guess maybe there is a third group who do approach these guys, but I’m guessing it’s small.

In Mooresville specifically, it seems that you run into or see somebody all the time.  From seeing NASCAR officials in the  Target store, to filling up at the gas station next to a driver, or running into another crew buddy at a bar.  Even when we are away from the track, we can’t stay away from one another!

I would imagine that being in certain places in Los Angeles would warrant similar sightings for actors, as would hanging out in Nashville for country singers.  If you want to be in or around NASCAR, Charlotte is the center of the Universe.

So if you don’t live here, and happen to make it once to attend a race or visit some shops, here is some advice.   When you are out and about, keep your eyes peeled, because you never know who you might see or run into!  Just remember to be respectful.