Is NASCAR Using DEI as a Marketing Tool?
By: Andy Kondratick
First let me say this. I am only entertaining this subject because I feel strongly about my beloved sport and I am not happy with the fact that many of the media outlets are falsely reporting facts that simply aren’t true. Not to mention all the idiot, know-nothing, blind, so-called NASCAR reporters saying the call about the yellow line deal was incorrect on NASCAR’s part.
I watched the race and thought the same thing at first but when they showed the replay, Dale Jr. clearly never passed Kenseth to advance his position while being below the yellow line. Folks, he has to complete the pass while being below the yellow before there is an infraction to the rule. If you watch the replay he clearly didn’t do that. Let’s hear from the people who were right there in the driver’s seat. Trust me when I say they won’t cover for someone if they feel they lost due to favoritism or cheating.
Dale Jr. said he went below the line but stated that he had already passed Kenseth when doing so.
"I can honestly say if I did anything wrong, I would be the first driver to admit it," Earnhardt said. "I know in my heart of hearts I didn't go below the yellow line to improve position."
From Elliot Sadler's view, right behind Dale Jr., he agreed.
"I was the one pushing him, and they ran him down," Sadler said. "He had to do that or cause a wreck, so it was a smart move."
One racing website decided to say that back in the fall race at Talladega in 2001 Dale Jr.’s crew was fined $10,000 after post race inspection found his car to be illegal because it didn’t meet NASCAR’s aerodynamic specs. They also reported that the media was never told and there was a supposed gag order from NASCAR because they didn’t want any controversy after everything that had already happened with the death of Dale Earnhardt.
The rag then went on to say that they think that NASCAR is using DEI as a way to promote the sport further by allowing them to cheat in order to bring more people into the sport. Folks they weren’t stating an opinion they were trying to say that it was fact. BULL! There is no third man on the grassy knoll.
This is simply not true. I don’t know where these supposed facts come from but they fly out of the wood work when ever someone is dominate and others can’t touch them. “They MUST have something we don’t because we just can’t catch them.” “They are cheating and getting special favors from NASCAR because he is Dale Earnhardt’s son and he is popular.” Waaa Waaa… Would you like some cheese for that whine? Obviously you already have the crackers.
Anyone who is a true fan of this sport knows that DEI aka DALE EARNHARDT INC. has the market cornered at restrictor plate tracks. Come on gang! Wake up and get out from underneath that table, shake off your hang-over and smell the coffee and Irish-Spring! How dare you say that NASCAR is showing favorites! How dare you say that DEI or ANY race team is allowed to cheat after all the rule infractions that have been caught by NASCAR so far this year and suspensions that were handed out. They were so vastly publicized and reported on! Don’t you people read the garbage you write?!
My final thought on this is that DEI is just a dominate force when it comes to restrictor plate tracks and until someone else in the Winston Cup series gets the same knowledge that DEI has they always will be. It's hell being good ain’t it Jr? Give the guy a break and let him feel happy about his win and the fact that he is a veteran driver with great talent. What does he have to do to get the respect that is deserved him? As for NASCAR, I don’t know about anyone else but common sense and knowledge of this sport will tell you that there is no favoritism shown, just respect for the drivers and race teams along with a never-ending search by NASCAR to keep the playing field level and on the up and up. Common sense will tell you that when you are racing at 200 mph for 500 miles it’s hard to plan the outcome. THINK!!!
This has been one fan’s opinion. - Rogue Reporter Andy
E-mail me at roguereporter@comcast.net
April 13, 2003 -
After all the recent controversy with the Dale Earnhardt Jr. win and the conspiracies surrounding it, I decided to do a little digging myself. Does NASCAR have the fix in or is it just plain ole’ good engineering?