In the fall of 1969 NASCAR drivers formed a union they called the Professional Drivers Association, or the PDA. It was gone however not even two months after NASCAR’s star drivers at the time such as Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough and Bobby Allison formed it.
“Big” Bill France founder of NASCAR and its head at the time squashed any hopes for the PDA’s survival when the drivers refused to compete at Talladega at speeds they felt were unsafe for the tires. France thumbed his nose at the PDA drivers and filled a field with 36 non-union drivers, most of who had never even been heard of.
It wasn’t the first time drivers tried to form a union. In 1961 Curtis Turner and the Teamsters tried. France banned Turner, for what he said was life but actually turned out to be four years, and the talk soon died.
Fast forward to the present. It’s an entirely new world. Today drivers are under multi-year, multi-million dollar contracts. On one side, smart drivers who manage their money, buy the right insurance policies and tow the line can look forward to a long and happy career. On the other side there are drivers who don’t make the millions of dollars, and don’t have the financial resources for support should something happen to them. Like driver Jerry Nadeau who suffered a career ending and life threatening head injury several years ago. With no contract and no way to make a living Nadeau now consults with race teams.
That’s are just one of the issues confronting those who compete in the sport.
There is some consensus that if drivers had a union they could work hand in hand with NASCAR on such issues as fair rules, pensions, and even ensuring fair drug testing.
So given today’s climate, would a drivers union work? Would it even be able to be formed? What issues could they address? Would a drivers union be good for the sport?
Comments
Haha, and watch it get squashed again. Why take the time to start a union. How bout the drivers sponsoring their own races like Tony Stewart does at Eldora.
The tracks are mostly independently owned and operated and anyone wanting to be a promoter could stage an invent and invite any drivers they wanted. If drivers ever get that unhappy with NASCAR then all they have to do is stage their own race, and I think the big names have enough money, and the fans...for the first few races...might actually have enough interest to fill the grand stands. PPV I'm sure brings in a lot of income for Tony at Eldora.
But let's be honest Exclusive coverage rights and all the other BS politics that surround turning NASCAR into a spectator sport will prevail and a union would fail, and probably have a lack of interest these days. Sponsor dollars pay too much to the drivers it would take to form the union (Jr, Stewart, Johnson, and even ol' Shrub)
Not just no, but hell f'ing no! Unions have already ruined Detroit automaking. NASCAR is doing a good enough job ruining itself without unions adding to it.
People complain about the NASCAR "overloards," or that it is run by a single family as if they are third world dictates but is adding another layer of "rue makes" in the form of a union the answer?
An easy example is close at hand, Formula One is in a state of turmoil due to too many "hands in the pot." Three differing entities all pulling in opposite directions for differing reasons are on the brink of ruining the sport.
History also instructs the same scenario played out in the CART/IRL split that to this very day has destroyed open wheel racing in America.
As Kevin in SoCal says,"Not just no, but hell f'ing no!"
NOTE to Barret: What the hell tracks are "independently owned and operated" that can come within ten percent of the capacity of the current venues on the NASCAR circuit?
The answer is NONE with the exception of Pocono, you're living in a pipe dream.
don't form a union,start a different series,one for the fans,not the dollar!Nascar has expanded so much and chased the dollar,and now they are having a hard time filling the stands.I would love to see races at all the tracks they deemed too small.Another series that would go to THE ROCK or N.Wilkesboro,and some of the other tracks Nascar turned their back on because they couldn't get a big enough head count would be great.
NO!
Unions are half the problem with this country. It is not the way to get things done. Just look what the players unions have done in the NFL, MLB and NBA... the unions almost destroyed baseball. NASCAR is popular because the drivers love racing so much that they would race for free. They truly love it. I think they deserve make plenty of money, but if they form a union and then strike one day, you can kiss NASCAR goodbye.
A Union is just about the fastest way to ruin NASCAR.
I love the line "There is some consensus that if drivers had a union they could work hand in hand with NASCAR on such issues as fair rules, pensions, and even ensuring fair drug testing."
A pension? They make how much and they need NASCAR to start a pension fund for them. I've got an idea, how about they take some of the buckets of money they make and say, put it in the bank. You know, save it, the old fasion way. Then, when they retire, they have money. I know, weird.
And what unfair rules and drug testing are you talking about? That's a pretty broad statement. I think NASCAR has been very successful thus far, why ruin it with work stopages, drivers compaining that they can't live on 4 mil a year and having to work on Sundays?
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