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We’ve seen a few stories emerge over the last few weeks in the NASCAR world that have made some wonder, including myself, how far is too far?  It seems that some have set aside ethics and the principles of responsible reporting in exchange for page views.  If you follow the sport closely, and are active on social media, you know which stories I’m referring to.  I realize that many writers do so professionally and that page views pay the bills, but at some point a line needs to be drawn.  There is a very clear difference between reporting actual news and pandering to voyeurs.

I know some of you may find this shocking, but as much as you love your favorite drivers, it’s important to remember they are not perfect humans.  Everyone has made mistakes, and everybody has problems.  But just because they are race drivers and somewhat public figures, it shouldn’t automatically mean that what goes on in their personal lives is news.  They have their right to privacy just like you and I do.  Some have shown they’ve forgotten this.

Being a part of the NASCAR press corp means spending a great deal of time at the race track and getting access to a lot of players.  Along the way, these folks will be privy to information and stories that should never see the light of day.  All the talk, gossip, and rumors they hear can be compelling, but they have absolutely no place in print anywhere.  It’s been made clear that some cannot handle the responsibility of their access.

Coming from a communications and journalism background, my partner Journo knows these issues well.  As part of our conversation about me writing this post, Journo shared with me the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics.  If you do any writing, it’s a document you should become familiar with.  Under the section entitled “Minimize Harm,” one particular statement stands out to me:   “Show good taste. Avoid pandering to lurid curiosity.”  In a few of these recent cases, this absolutely did not happen.  The curiosity that some have was used to shamelessly drive traffic to websites and gain the writers notoriety.  And that’s wrong.

In the position we are in, we’ve often been asked to provide information or comment on situations regarding drivers personal lives and things that happen away from the race track.  In all cases, we’ve politely declined.  Yes, we are connected and yes, we are anonymous.  But what we do is more about giving you an inside look at the sport and providing news and commentary about the competition, than it is about becoming NASCAR’s version of TMZ.  We just flat out won’t do it.

In the end, I’m really disappointed by what we’ve witnessed.  This is one of those cases where the platform that technology affords some people turns ugly.  I don’t know about you, but I’ve definitely lost a great deal of respect for those who chose to report on these items.

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So I returned from another busy weekend of racing to discover (thanks to the Internet)  what many in the NASCAR media have been fronting for weeks; that all of NASCAR is finally starting to implode!  OH MY GOD!  WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE!  SAVE YOURSELVES!  EVERYBODY PANIC!!!

A quick look around the Internet today and you would have seen the following  headlines: RCR is dropping to two teams, Kasey Kahne will be in a Toyota by August, Toyota is pulling their support from the NNS and CWTS, Red Bull is leaving Toyota, and there could be spec engines coming to the NNS and CWTS.

Whew!  That’s some scary stuff.  Until you actually read what was said by the important people. 

Richard Childress actually said he plans on having four teams next year, but some sponsorship stuff is still up in the air.  The Shell and Jack Daniels deals need to be renewed, but even if they aren’t, it’s not necessarily the end of the line for the #29 and #07 teams.

Lee White (head of TRD Operations) denied the Kasey Kahne rumor, but even if he’s lying, there are too many moving parts here.  Something smells fishy.  Why would an organization build Toyota’s for one team, and Dodge’s for the other three?  I know the COTs are similar, but there are some differences.  I’m just not seeing the logic here.

Also, while a cutback may be coming for next season, Toyota has no plans to change its involvement in the NNS and NCWTS for 2009.  And it appears that only Detroit is interested in the spec engine program, as the story itself says NASCAR executives have shown little interest. 

And finally, I don’t understand why Red Bull would walk away from Toyota and its funding to self fund a Chevrolet alliance through Hendrick Motorsports.  Red Bull’s problems have less to do with Toyota and more to do with what is going on inside Red Bull.  Getting Hendrick horsepower isn’t going to solve that, and it’s going to cost them some serious coin to switch.

So, now that we know the world isn’t ending, can somebody please tell me what the hell is going on?  Maybe we are part of the problem (feel free to say if we are), but I feel like a lot of these Internet writers are trying to either fabricate a silly season or scare people out of their minds. 

Comparing the last few years, this season has been pretty light on free agent rumblings (sans Martin Truex Jr.), and the economy continues to be a major factor in the future of many teams, but these “almost” stories are crazy.  I understand that some of these sites depend on big traffic numbers, but creating a story where there is no story seems wrong.

And this might not be a new thing, but I don’t know when it became news for somebody like Tony Stewart to come out and say that if the situation were right, he’d add a third team for next year.  Couldn’t you really say that about every team?

 ”This just in: Robby Gordon may be a four car team in 2010 if three funded drivers approach him before February.”

Gimme a break.

Is the sport struggling some?  Yes.  Are the manufacturer cutbacks going to hurt the teams?  Yes.  Is it tougher then ever to find sponsors?  Yes.  Are teams going to have to get creative to fight through this tough time?  Yes.  Are we going to lose a few teams?  Yes.

But, even though many will try and convince you otherwise, is the end near?  No.