24 races into the season with 12 to go. Kyle and Carl get into a little school yard scuffle after the race at Bristol this past weekend. Kyle speaks his peace about what happened. And Carl also does the same thing. NASCAR steps in and hands out what they call a penalty. Is that the best that they can do is put both drivers on probation? How many times has NASCAR actually enforced probation? I remember Smoke being put on probation twice in one season. Did that stop him from terrorizing the other drivers? No. But I do remember the Home Depot brass stepping in and telling him to cool it or they were going to take their name off of his hood.
Will this so called rivalry between Kyle and Carl end the same way with Mars-M&M’s and the Office Depot brass stepping in and telling their drivers to cool it? First off Office Depot only has 12 more races with Carl Edwards before leaving at the end of the season to jump onto Smoke’s hood. And as far as Kyle and Mars-M&M’s guys? Well let’s just say that after leaving David Gilliland and his disappointing 28th place finish in the points standings last season. How much happier are they with Kyle on board leading the points chase? Probably enough to just forget what happened last week and keep moving on.
How much farther will this so called rivalry go before one these drivers actually do get punished by NASCAR? Let’s look at a few things first. First off who could forget earlier in the year at Richmond when Kyle and Jr got tangled up and the media blew it way out of proportion. What happened to that rivalry? Second of all both of these drivers are looking to win their first cup championship. A championship that is not easy to win. It takes 36 weeks of some good hard and let’s not forget SMART driving. And smart driving means staying out of trouble on the track as well as away from it. In other words staying as far away from the oval office as possible. Because maybe next time Mike and company aren’t so lenient. Who’s to say that NASCAR wasn’t sending out a message that the next time the penalties will be a lot stiffer. How would Joe or Jack feel if their 2 star drivers took this so called feud or rivalry beyond Bristol and continued into Cali and Richmond or into the chase and had some of there precious points taken away because of some bonehead move?
Points that could mean the difference between a championship and being the biggest chump out there for letting there emotions get in the way? These 2 drivers along with the rest of the chase drivers have way to much to risk. Especially after watching Jimmie Johnson come from a 400 point deficit to win the championship just last year. Or Kurt Busch who in the first year of the chase back in 2004, came from a 296 point deficit and starting 7th in the chase to deny Jeff Gordon his 5th cup championship. Kyle and Carl are a lot smarter then to play into the media and also the fans version of “I’m going to get back at you for what you did”. How mad was Kyle after the race? He didn’t scream or yell at Carl. But instead in a very soft and civil voice. He spoke his peace. Those words were not spoken very aggressively for someone who was going to get revenge.
Instead they were spoken more out of disgust in himself that he let something like that happen. Kyle knew it was clean pass. But what happened caught him off guard. He didn’t have the time to regroup and come storming back like he has done in the past. Carl plain and simple took him out of his rhythm and Kyle didn’t have an answer for it. So before us as fans play into all the media hype. You have to ask yourself one question? Would you retaliate and throw a whole season away? A season that you as a driver have worked hard for your whole life to finally get a chance at winning NASCAR’s biggest prize? A chance to stand behind that podium like so many of NASCAR’s great champions have done in the past? To blow the chance of a lifetime because I wanted to retaliate?
To much emphasis has been put on an incident that has happened in the past, and will continue to happen in the years to come. Does NASCAR really need a rivalry? Yes it does. But at the expense of one these drivers knocking themselves out of the chance of a lifetime? Maybe to some yes. But to these drivers there only focus is winning races. There only focus is winning the biggest prize in NASCAR. There are 10 other drivers that they have to worry about. 10 other drivers that are just as hungry as they are to be able to represent their manufacturer, their team owners, and also their fans at the season ending banquet in New York. Every drivers dream and ambition is to stand up there trophy in hand and be able to say, “I was the best for this season.” Which driver in there right mind would throw all of this away just to get back at another driver because a simple racing incident?
The feud is over. There will be no rivalry. There will be no Kyle going after Carl and giving him cheap shots. Just like there will be no Carl going after Kyle and doing the same. NASCAR has there eyes on the both of them. NASCAR has sent out the warning. They were real lenient in the ruling. Next time they might not be so lucky. They just might find themselves wishing they had left well enough alone. But instead what we will see is 12 hungry drivers going after what the other 31 drivers can only dream of for the rest of this season. And that is, The Sprint Cup Championship! I’m Out
3fan, good analysis of the "feud" between Edwards and Busch. As you said, it was a little dustup, borne out of Busch's frustration. He'll learn how to respond better.
I agree 3fan, there will be no obvious payback...there cant be or NASCAR will bring down the hammer. They will have to mind their Ps and Qs and that is too bad actually would have liked to see them go at it a bit more.
There will never be a rivalry anymore because Nascar has become a "corporate racing entity", and is losing what made it the fastest growing sport back in 2001 to 2003. I doubt nascar will ever take a penalty to the next level especially with Kyle & Carl.
They need to start making these jokers sit out a race or two, money and probation means nothing to these guys,park them for a race or two,that will change their ways. Nascar is way to inconsistant with their penaltys
so why is anyone surprised that cheaters are leading the pack? nascar is set for grand collapse if they don't start making cheating a real penalty. guess we are all supposed to be too dumb to think kylebush has been so dominant just because for the first time in history a single team has donminated so much!! thanks for the 'dis' nascar....but some are not that stupid!!
Tokken- It has nothing to do with being a corporate entity. If that was the case then they would want a rivalry because rivalries are what sells tickets.
hokyman- I agree with penalties are to inconsistent. But you just cant sit a driver because they let there emotions get to them. Besides there was no one else around them. Now if there were other drivers around them that posed a threat to. Then I would say to park one or both of them.
jayhawk- Have they been caught cheating? Kyle isnt the one who builds and sets up the cars. Why cant a driver ever be good without someone saying that he is cheating? Its amazing how if nots your driver then he's cheating. But if it was your driver then he's having a good year.
I would of liked to see what they would have raced like without the probation, But you can not blame NASCAR for stepping in., It is to dangerous to be playing games at 200 plus miles an hour.
Great post, 3fan! I like your take on everything except for when you state "the feud is over". I don't quite think that is the case. I liken the whole deal to a couple of years ago when Matt Kenseth got into Jeff Gordon at Bristol. Gordon was pissed and charged Kenseth after the race and was put on probation. He just calmly let things die down, waited until his probation was over and then at Chicagoland...BAM! Payback. You are right in saying that Carl and Kyle are smarter than to retaliate any time soon; but, next year? After Daytona...at a short track...say, Martinsville, perhaps...look out!
Ahh...Yes... A fued..Not for the family. Is needed. I am not saying take eachother out week in and week out. But good hard rubbin is racing style of driving.
Go back to Sr. He didn't take someone out every week. He did use his chrome horn more than some. He made on track enemys, that he was friends with away from the car.
Case in point. Jeff Gordon and Dale Sr. They rubbed a lot on the track. But off the track they were freinds and the kid at the time learned a heII of alot from Sr.
We need drivers doing the shove for the win. Cause if the car you shoved is good enough, he will shove back.
I am a Nascar fan from Cali hoping to bring a diffrerent perspective to Nascar. And if not. At least I tried. I also love football, baseball, golf and basketball. I try to attend as many races a year as I can. Ive been to Kansas,Infine on,Phoenix,Ve gas,Californi a just to name a few. Ive been a fan going on about 20+ years. There is nothing like short track racing at Irwindale on saturday nights. Also love to watch and attend drag races. Of course John Force is my favorite driver. Im also a fan of Tony Schumacher. Maybe someday to be able to write about Nascar.
