(AP Photo/Mark Young)
When Ryan Newman’s Chevy went airborne in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Talladega, those who understand the bigger picture of auto racing, held their collective breath. Nothing stunts racing enthusiasm like major injuries or fatalities of any kind.
Without a doubt, Harvick’s No. 29 broke the fall of the No. 39. The roof did cave in on Newman’s helmet, but without landing on the Harvick’s front end, the Army Chevy would have been compacted far more.
While the NASCAR blogs and talk shows are lit up with comments by professionals and average fans, alike, about what NASCAR has to do to stop cars from going airborne, comments also focus on has to be done to stop the single line, nose-to-tail racing.
A quick and easy solution to the issues that plague racing at Talladega is not likely to occur. While most of the chatter focuses on the Cup race, it needs to be remembered that only a day earlier in the Camping World Truck Series, Rick Crawford had the backend of his No. 14 truck get airborne. This is not just a Cup issue.
NASCAR needs to recognize the human element
Instead of maintaining an adamant position of being right about the pre-race declaration, NASCAR needs to acknowledge that they avoided a disaster because Harvick picked that moment to pass on the inside of the field. By simply saying that they are genuinely grateful for the fact that no driver was hurt and they are looking towards addressing the concerns raised this weekend, NASCAR could humanize how those inside and outside of NASCAR view the sanctioning body.
Should NASCAR doubt the importance of being perceived as engaged, one only needs to remind the powers that be, that this sport is one of the most sponsor dependent endeavors in athletics. At this time, series sponsors such as Sprint and Goodyear are facing economic hardships. Teams have worked harder to keep sponsors and fans happy and watching, and NASCAR needs to do the same.
It’s not just Newman: He’s voicing something bigger
Newman’s comments after getting medical clearance illustrate the frustration that many in NASCAR as well as many in the fan base feel about the sanctioning body. "The more rules, the more NASCAR is telling us how to drive the race cars, the less we can race and the less we can put on a show for the fans. As I said, I will go back in the day, Richard Petty, Bobby Allison, Dale Earnhardt, Darrell Waltrip, all those guys, they respected each other. In the end there were some big accidents, but geez, we don't need the cars getting upside down like this. This is ridiculous.”
It does appear that Newman is snake bit at the Alabama track. “There is way more technology than that to help us out. Whether it is a speed issue, a roof flap issue, whatever. I said it myself in the media center after the Spring race here, and now to be the guy standing here trying to live it all out again, I'm just happy I am living it out.”
“It is a shame that not more is getting done. I don't know,” Newman reflected. “I am the only guy out there with an engineering degree. I would like to have a little respect on my end.” Ultimately, it may be NASCAR’s propensity towards issuing edicts and addressing issues after catastrophe [the COT and the No. 3] rather than collaborating with all stakeholders that has caused fan affinity to cool and drivers, who do not have the choice to sit out a race they see as dangerous, to get increasingly frustrated.
Hopefully, NASCAR will refrain from the ultimate dictatorial step that the NBA has taken in fining anyone who questions or expresses negative opinions about officiating or governing. Nothing would cause more fans to bail from NASCAR faster than seeing a driver, whose life was put at risk only days early, get reprimanded for expressing an opinion that may be more the norm, than the exception.
For more information on Southern California Motorsports, check out:
Camping World West Champion Jason Bowles to race Nationwide at Phoenix
Top ten finish for Jimmie Johnson more luck than skill
Did the Talladega track president do Jimmie Johnson a favor?
NASCAR driver AJ Allmendinger arrested
Janelle Jalbert is a fan of a variety of racing formats and equally enjoys the history of the sport. Janelle grew up in an auto mechanic’s family and swears that there is carb spray running through her veins. She can be reached via email for both comments and story ideas. You can follow Janelle as the Southern California Motorsports Examiner on Twitter as @SoCalMotorsport.
Janelle also serves as the NASCAR Truck Series Examiner. Feel free to join the discussion about the hard racing in the CWTS at the NASCAR Truck Series Examiner fan page on Facebook
Comments
"Those guys respected each other"... maybe that's at the heart of it all. There are a few drivers out there now who don't give respect, and while bumping and shoving are part of the game (when NASCAR allows it) there are some guys who go too far, knowing the difference between pushing the envelope, and disrespecting it.
We need racing back...
or do what I did Sunday, and get a lot of work done w/the race in the background!
Got to interview Mike Helton once - good guy - but those big wigs in NASCAR need to take a step back and figure out what the best is for the sport... and at the heart of it, its the fans.
Thank God they're all okay, no one should get hurt, but we need racing... I've stopped faithfully watching without it.
I agree that had he not come into contact with Harvick's car it would be a very different story.
Your assertion that "without landing on the Harvick’s front end, the Army Chevy would have been compacted far more" is conjecture and not fact. We can't say one way or another. The roof may have been crushed in the secondary impacts or the barrel roll at the end. It could be that the roof is designed to compact in order to absorb force. Just because the wreck was dramatic doesn't mean that Ryan was in any greater danger than a wreck into the safer barrier at Martinsville or a t-bone by another car at Watkins Glen. The car did what the car was designed to do which is protect the driver. NASCAR should continue to work on safety, but we shouldn't over react because it "looked" bad. Let's let scientists and engineers work on this and not add to the confusion with our uninformed opinions based in emotion.
NASCAR had some racing last weekend? Missed that. Did see the parade they put on, though they aren't very good at it. Imagine if the Rosebowl crashed that many floats!
Hawk's comments missed the point...NASCAR has become self-righteous and closed minded when it comes to listening to fans and teams. Ryan's comments were about the fact that there now is no respect - not between drivers and not from NASCAR to the teams and drivers.
I am an engineer, and I don't see any problem with the leap in logic you made. The 29 did indeed absorb much the blow the 39 would have taken if he landed straight on the track.
It is probably the case that Harvick's car reduced the impact of Newman's car with the ground; but it could also be the case that Harvick's car's bent or broke the roll bar on Newman's car during their impact and it could be that Harvick's impact threw Newman's car into the safer barrier at a higher rate of speed which further weakened the superstructure of his race car.
I may miss the point about the ignorance of NASCAR, but the ignorance of many writers and fans seems equally plausible to me. Newman has a right to be unhappy, but with his engineering degree and full knowledge of the risks involved, he continues to strap himself in the car and race it. I guess the rewards still outweigh the risks. If Newman has any credibility, he won't get into his car and drive it this weekend at Texas. I seem to remember Michael McDowell flying through the air during qualifying run last year. Maybe the racing God's were paying Newman back for launching Carl Edward's into the air last yea
People, pleeeese! Look again at the photo, or watch the wreck again. As Ryan's car slides up and down the track upside down, what looks like flame is roll cage being ground down. Once the car does it's ballet on the infield grass, and comes down heavily on the roof, THERE is your crushing impact. Weak roll cage + gravitational pull - forward monentum = cage collapse.
It's not really that hard to figure out.
BTW Hawk, Edwards was launched by Kasalewski, Newman had no where to go back in April.
Good comments from all. Glad Ryan is o'kay. Somehow Kevin was left out. Think his car maybe softened the hit. But, look again. He was meer inches away from a fuel cell and lots more car in his face. Just glad all are o'kay.
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