Now how will NASCAR CEO Brian France address the controversy of 'secret' penalties?

Mike, THANK YOU for speaking up for the integrity of the sport. I'm fed up with Nascar trying mask everything to protect the "integrity of the sport." How can we the fans be expected to believe in everything the organization stands for, if they themselves flip-flop on every issue. Why doesn't Brian France come right out and say..."we are tweaking the current Chase format because we at Nascar are tired of Jimmie Johnson running away with the championship ever year." If they were honest they would put it out there, instead of glossing over the subject. Jimmie Johnson makes an excellent ambassador to the sport, he's a role model for every young fan out there who has dreams of becoming a pro athlete whether racing or any other sport. I have no respect for Brian France, because in order for me to give you respect you have to earn it. He can't operate this sport, he doesn't care about the drivers, etc. the only thing he sees in front of his eyes is the word "profit." I wouldn't trust this guy with a pet boa constrictor, even though I can't tolerate snakes. He should be removed from his throne because things in Nascar are heating up and it could get very prickly for him sitting at the top. Remember what happened to Humpty-Dumpty!!!!

I am awaiting a letter in the mail levying a NASCAR fine on me for failing to attend enough events and failing to watch enough NASCAR on television. How much more ridiculous will things become? Dayyum.

Great article Mike! The France family and it's cronies are starting to turn the fan beloved NASCAR NATION into a COMMIE NATION. BUT! as long as THE FRANCES are seeing profits (like ANONYMOUS has said), even just a little, the wheel will keep on turning as is. When you really think about it RCR, EGR, HMS, JGR, ROUSH, PENSKE, MWR, RPM and others should learn to "MAN" up and play hardball with NASCAR. They're NOT like unionized pro sports, they can "walk" at any given time from any event. Make demands or else. The fans may get pissed off, but guess what? They ain't coming to the races anyway!

The best way to really put NASCAR on its ass is a hostile takeover of ISC. That way you're controlling the real estate/tracks compete on. Just Daytona alone, the crown jewel, is worth all the marble$. Think the King might have the biz cards of some of them Saudis?

Bottom line - Why is NSACAR even tinkering with the race, format, etc.? TV ratings. NASCAR will never compete with Pro Football, NASCAR's Holy Grail. Once they realize that, they can focus on the basics - controversy = TV ratings.

Credibility? This is a sanctioning body that makes up rules on the fly, creates "cautions" to screw around with the race results (create "drama"). Credibility? Please. How were ratings before the "Chase." They can't even do what is in their best interest, let alone, develop or maintain credibility. If Cola companies can market flavored sugar water, why can NASCAR market the best drivers in the world? Answer - They don't know how.

Take a lesson from the best, "Professional Wrestling". Yes, they are the best at base entertainment, they foster an environment of controversy, Black Hat vs. White Hat, feuding with the sanctioning body and other actions that create controversy and viewership. NASCAR is certainly no better than professional wrestling. Indeed, they could learn from their marketing techniques.

As for racing, I have given up. NASCAR has screwed up for the last time in my opinion. They will not "build" back any base and their "leadership" could learn from the old maxim, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Thanks for the great article and hang in there - I'll keep reading but I have given up watching FranceCar.....

Rock on. Oh! I forgot. They got rid of the Rock!

F Nascar.

I've followed the sport since '85...and this takes the cake.

Oh, I get NASCAR's position on this....other sports penalize folks financially for comments they make on officiating, etc. so we should to.

But the difference here is everyone in other sports knows upfront that they will get penalized for "conduct unbecoming of the sport" or whatever.

Wonder how much ole' Tony has donated to the France coffers (or whatever charity they roll the money over to) over the years?

And they want to be taken seriously.....hell, F1 looks more competent....

(sitting here thinking that the execs in the NFL are probably peeing in their pants with laughter over how NASCAR is run.....)

Couple thoughts on this, it ruins the credibility of the sport if their hiding these penalties what other things are they hiding are there penalties in other areas we don't know about? Two this only isolates NASCAR more from the outrage that the drivers, crew members and certainly the fans are being to feel, and moves them further away from the common man that is their target audience and has been their loyal customer for so many years and moves them closer to the ivory tower. Three I think this highlights one of the differences the Bill Frances and Lesa and Bran, both of the Bills worked for what they got Big Bill built NASCAR from the ground up and the history of little Bill doing every ob in NASCAR from usher and concessions stands to driving bulldozers building Talladega and Daytona is well know I don't see that in the currant generation. And finally as mush as I hate to bring up the point that has been used with so many other things, but this never would have happened if Dale Earnhardt were with us today, he was a driver who cared for the sport and every one knew it, maybe even more importantly when he talked NASCAR listened, in part because they had weather they were willing to admit it or not they needed him and they knew it if he left so did a lot of fans. Maybe part of the sports success that tehre are now so many household names and super stars that it is not a big deal to lose one had hurt it in the long run. ANy how after the Indy league call I am sure it's only a matter of time before Brian Barnhar is making calls for NASCAR.

Mike, for once I agree with Nascar- You couldn't get away with publicly dissing your employer, nor product, without consequences,in any job in the country. Publicly is the key word here. They can, and should pitch a royal one in private about anything in 'the product' they disagree about. BUT it should be in private. You can't sell a product if the people who produce it say it's junk.

Couldn't have said it better myself!

When an organization starts to secretly silence it's critics, the same critics that depend on participation in your "sport" for a paycheck, you can no longer trust comments from those participants. There is no way to know the "truth" from them saying what will keep them employed.

Dave in Ohio

Mike I've read your columns for years in the W-S paper and now the web site.Your insight on this sport and it's workings are uncanny. You have only scratched the tip of the Nascar iceburg.I worked as an offical on the cup series from 00 to 07. We were told numerous times not to speak with any media lest you be fired. You, my friend,were mentioned by name as being off limit and having read you for years prior I know why. You are always truthful and report the facts as you know them and let the chips fall where they may, if someone or something looks bad, so be it. Both Mr France and Mr Helton are unaproachable and imperial and don't mind letting the hired hands know it.The next time you can scan a race control at an event just wait until the race gets strung out,here comes the tower; turn 1 got any debris;turn 2 got any debris ? backstretch how 'bout you; "well tower I've got what looks like a hot dog wrapper on the apron--next word fron control: "put it out". It happens at almost every event.Main word here BOGUS. If it weren't for you exposing secret fines and penalties no one would know.And to agree with your point this casts a serious and dark cloud over Nascar's credibility.Thank you for your service to our country and thanks for the unbiased stories,keep digging and keep writing,excellent work.

Mike, Just saw you on Race Line. Could not believe it. Someone in the media that actually says what they want without the fear of NASCAR. I am sick of NASCAR acting like they are more powerful than the USA. I remember when Dale Earnhardt was killed and there was no outside investigation. I stopped watching NASCAR when Toyota entered the picture. I remember the 70s and 80s when you could recognize the make of car by its looks, not decals. To me, NASCAR starting going down the tubes when Brian France took it over. His father must be turning over in his grave. What is this story about Brian France in legal trouble and he does not want any media in the court room when he goes to court? Why are the courts giving in to him? Thanks for letting me let some steam off. I do feel better now.
WB

There are two issues jostling together here.

The fines to Hamlin and Newman actually have some justification, in that Hamlin's assertion that races are rigged is indeed irresponsible, and also ignores the real issue, which is that the officiating tower indeed has too much control of the racing and it breeds bad calls and bad rules - even so, biases are not the same as rigging.

Newman was also wrong in apparently beeching about Talladega again because the worst tracks for driver danger are everywhere except Talladega, notably Charlotte's 20-plus years of brutal melees, Richmond's insane G-readings as seen in Jerry Nadeau's career-ending wreck (which shouldn't have surprised anyone who understood that the speeds given the small size and configuration of the track are well above reason), the nastiness of Texas since it opened (while not as bad lately the McDowell tumble and the melee this past April served as a reminder of what the place often is), Kansas and hard hits (such as Sterling Marlin's cracked vertebrae in his neck in 2002), Atlanta and Keselowski nearly hitting the frontstretch fencing (not to mention melees such as Micky Hudspeth tumbling and losing a hand, and Steve Grissom blowing open a concrete wall), and so forth. If anything they show why Talladega is restricted and why these other tracks should be restricted (when Greg Biffle popped off about Pocono, I doubt this crossed his mind).

The problem with the fines stems less from what the drivers said than from the burgeoning problem of Brian France's credibility as a NASCAR leader. What emerges most glaringly here is that Brian France seems in fundamental denial that the sport over which he presides is faltering and the changes he's brought to it are not only not working, they're only making things worse. I disagree that Brian France has brought expanded scope to the sport or leveraged it in several business areas - what he's mostly done is market NASCAR The Brand (most insultingly illustrated by the supremely arrogant and clumsily marketed NASCAR Day, the first and last time a sports sanctioning body congratulated itself by declaring its own holiday) and installed gimmicks ostensibly to help the sport grow but which have done nothing but drive off people who might be interested. NASCAR the term no longer is an acronym, it is a brand name and in mainstream sports it has become more of a pejorative than ever with fans more derided for "watching NASCAR" than even in the 1980s.

The laundry list of Brian France failures is the following - The Chase in particular and overemphasis on points structures that punish effort and reward mediocrity in general; The bastardization of downforce and tires and its inevitable endgame The COT (blame to John Darby is also warranted as he was front-man in this misbegotten campaign) with related failure in knuckling under on the roof blade aero package of 2000-1 (restored for BGN 2004-10); pushing NASCAR upon demographics (Los Angeles, New York City) that don't want it; the clumsy handling of speedway fratricide (here Bruton Smith warrants condemnation as well, not praise); the implosion of the sport's economics (related here has been denial of the needed revenue that rival tire companies Firestone and Hoosier can bring to the sport) and non-response to escalating team spending (here car owners also deserve condemnation as they have made no effort to cut their spending and their recent powwow on cutting costs displayed no serious effort in that direction); shrinking competitive depth, in lack of winning drivers, lack of winning teams, and lack of lead changes (other than the plate tracks, the one area NASCAR has gotten right).

Fining drivers for issuing criticisms is a radically mixed bag - if they're saying things that are not true then they deserve criticism, yet stifling such speech is never a comfortable area, and when it's about lashing out when you're Brian France and you're in denial about your sport's problems, then the problem lies with you, Brian France.

Loved the column, Mike. In reality, NASCAR has issued secret penalties and given drivers "the call" for years. The penalties weren't monetary fines, but either verbal spankings akin to the Days of Thunder scene or an extra scutinizing pre-race inspection that may fail a few times before passing in order to send a message. Usually that gets the job done without the need for the fine, and the driver certainly isn't going to mention it to the media for fear of further repercussions. The issuance of the monetary penalties just sheds a brighter light to what has been there all along. Brian France just isn't as good at being sneaky as his dad was.

Can we say PIT BULL, you guys had the best show ever on Speed and then NASCAR had to stop it. I know that is what happened to Jimmy and soon probably Kyle as well. You are great and I've always enjoyed your columns and certainly miss The Winston Cup Preview. I KNOW this wouldn't have happened if T. Wayne was still around. WOULD LOVE to see him get in this year. He did as much for NASCAR as any of the France's ever thought about doing. Let us know if you are "secretely fined" and we will start a fund. No wonder NASCAR ratings and attendence sucks. Give em H___ Mike we love you!

Best NASCAR-related article I have ever read.
This expresses my thoughts 100%, I'm so disgusted by NASCAR excecutives sometimes, it hurts.