By Richard Tix
Hot Laps will be a weekly article on news in the world of NASCAR. I will write these articles any weeks where I have a thought or opinion on NASCAR news that is worth sharing. So, this could be an every week thing, or just every few weeks. Its an opinion piece, so it is open to discussion and debate and would love to here your thoughts.
You know the deal, its NASCAR Hot Laps. Better known as NASCAR Hot Issues. Also known as NASCAR Hot News. Sometimes referred to as NASCAR Hot Topics. No matter how you see it, its all of the above. So lets get into this weeks addition of "Hot Laps."
NASCAR on FOX. Commercials on FOX
NASCAR is a sport, but also a business. FOX is also a business and in the end what matters most to them is the almighty dollar. Now, NASCAR and Fox both need the fans to get that dollar, so in a sense they still do care about the fans.
I normally try and refrain from to much anger over commercials during sporting event because they go hand in hand. My typical philosophy is if you don't want to see them go to the sporting event itself. I know that is not always a choice for many viewers (trust me in the world of NASCAR and living in Minnesota I understand the struggle), but it still holds true if you are watching it on TV you have to expect commercials.
**Narwhal's, Narwhals, Swimming in the ocean....**
Ok, sorry for that commercial, back to the article
But, lets get past the part I understand about sports and commercials, because Sunday was enough to push me over the edge and complain about the coverage.
The past two weeks Fox has started the race out by going to commercial early (lap 9-11) and going side by side. Both weeks we have had a lap 25 competition caution as well. So, first up, why can Fox not wait for the built in commercial break at lap 25? Even if they have one, why is the first commercial break of the day side by side? I would rather save that side by side for the end of the race.
Which brings me to my biggest annoyance of Sunday. With 15 laps left in the race and it still under green Fox went to commercial break and not even a side by side. We all know at the end of the race we get more and more cautions which leads to more and more commercials, "commercials bread commercials" I guess. So, with all of that being said how does Fox go to commercial and not at the very least side by side at the most crucial point in a race? It really was un-explainable and unacceptable on Fox's part.
I get it, we have to live with commercials, including the annoying Narwhal commercial (which we didn't see much on Sunday), but the coverage to start 2015 has been horrendous and Fox doesn't have a lot of excuses. Move the side by side early in the race to the end so we don't miss the end action, please.
Hot AND Cold Start for Jeff Gordon
After an exciting 2014 season for Jeff Gordon and crew that was mostly on a high note, 2015 has been an up and down roller coaster that hasn't ended. This weekend in Las Vegas continued on that note when Gordon won the Pole for the Kobalt Tools 400. Then on Saturday Danica Patrick got loose in practice and Gordon ran intro her.
So, Gordon took his back up car and started in the rear of the field. Throughout the day Gordon worked his way slowly and methodically to the front finally reaching the top 10 at one point. Just when he thought the worst was over his teammate Jimmie Johnson got into the wall and Jeb Burton checked up. At that moment Gordon was looking to pass Jeb, but got caught in the back of his car because of JJ's date with he wall.
The damage was enough to wreck Gordon's day, but he stayed out and finished 18th. So, not only was the weekend up and down, but just the race in general was. Gordon has two poles on the year, but nothing to show in finishes.
The ironic thing about the season and where it could still go is that last year Gordon was in a spot where most of his fans were upset with the new Chase and wanted a points only Chase, in which Gordon would have won.
Well, its year two of the new Chase and points format and the system is finally on Gordon's side. That's because if it was a points only system he would be starting in a huge hole. But, Gordon's hole is not too far to climb out since now all he has to do is break his unlucky streak and find a win before the Chase. It seems very likely he will do just that at some point. His #24 Hendrick Chevy has been fast all year and so have the rest of his teammates.
So, Gordon fans, don't worry the season is not over.
Kurt Busch is Back
Just today (Wednesday the 11th) NASCAR lifted its suspension on Stewart-Haas Driver Kurt Busch. I have still not heard news on Chevy's relationship with Kurt and if they will allow him back in there cars.
Leaving that part behind it was good to see him get reinstated so fast after no charges would be filed against him from Delaware. I still hold to my opinion that NASCAR got it right as a sport and business stand point to originally suspend him.
With so many domestic abuse story's hitting the headlines in the sports world the "Big Media" would have had a field day if NASCAR let him race. Charges or none, Guilty or not, NASCAR had to sit him down until more came out with how bad it would have looked if this story came out another way (with Kurt being guilty).
Unfortunately public image plays a role in every sport, every business, and every real life matter. NASCAR had no choice in my opinion.
That being said, I am happy Kurt has been allowed to come back to NASCAR on short notice. I think that without being found guilty that NASCAR shouldn't hold him out. I do think that in some aspects Kurt should still have to go through the recovery program, but while being reinstated. I think he has had enough past issues that it would do nothing but help him out as an individual.
That last part of this case is the fact that NASCAR also said he is now Chase Eligible after missing three races. This is the opinion I am in the middle on and am not sure how I feel. NASCAR suspended him yet will let him be eligible for the Chase. At the same time he was found to be not guilty because they didn't have enough of a case, so he still missed a bunch of races and was in that predicament to start with. If they let him into the Chase, what constitutes not being eligible?
Even though I think NASCAR made the right move suspending him in the first place because they were in a tough spot, this move of making him Chase eligible almost looks like they think they made a mistake (even though they stood by there suspension last week). It will be interesting to see when NASCAR issues a statement on the matter what they say about his Chase eligibility.
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