Tuesdays are normally when NASCAR penalties are announced, but just like the incident itself, things were a bit different when it came to veteran owner Richard Childress. That is Childress above shown speaking to fellow owner Joe Gibbs.
After already exonerating Kyle Busch in the weekend tussle, the sanctioning body announced on Monday the penalties for Childress. It was a 150 thousand dollar fine and probation for the rest of this season. That drew a quick response from both the fans and the media.
Click here to read SBNation's Jeff Gluck and his column titled "NASCAR Flubs Penalty Call By Not Suspending Childress." Meanwhile, click here to read Jeff Hammond over at FOX Sports who posted "NASCAR Goes Too Far Against Childress."
On the social media side, things were plenty busy on Twitter.
"I wonder if Pop Pop will get a senior citizen discount on his fine?" tweeted Austin Dillon.
"According to Forbes, Richard Childress Racing has a value of $158 million and last year made a $5.9 million profit. A $150,000 fine for RCR isn't going to harm them too much. Just as Childress' punches didn't harm Kyle Busch. They could probably make that up with an RCR golden gloves diecast," tweeted SPEED.com Editor-in-chief Tom Jensen.
"Only issue like this from RC we have ever had. Long-standing member. Don't see it repeating. Kyle fans unhappy/RC fans unhappy. That's understood, it's our job to make decisions, not always popular but part of it. Thanks for the feedback," offered NASCAR VP of Operations Steve O'Donnell on Twitter.
On the TV side, NASCAR Now on ESPN2 was up first. Host Allen Bestwick seemed rather surprised by some of the strong opinions expressed by his panelists on the show.
"I think it (the penalty) might have been a little bit light," said panelist Ricky Craven. "What if Kyle Busch had been injured or somehow wasn't able to race the next day? That's why a precedent has to be set. Drivers accept the risk of what they do on the racetrack, but Richard was not on the racetrack."
"We heard Mike Helton talk about the severity of these things that go on," said Johnny Benson. "I really thought he was going to get some races (off). This is kind of different with an owner getting involved, he's lucky."
"After a man tears my race cars up so many times, I might just go kick his ass," said Tim Brewer. "I'm tired of hearing about the drivers. Richard Childress does not sell cars, he sells racing. He is a dedicated person to that and I don't blame him for what he did."
The second and final TV series of the day was RaceHub on SPEED hosted by Steve Byrnes. Larry McReynolds and Elliott Sadler are the usual Monday panelists.
"Joey Coulter, he has struggled a little bit this year in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series," said McReynolds. "He finishes fifth and there is not a mark on that truck and Kyle Busch door-slams it after the checkered flag and puts a lot of damage on it. I just think it pushed Richard Childress over the edge."
"I do know for a fact," continued McReynolds. "He (Childress) told Kyle Busch if you want to confront my driver on my race team that's fine but leave the race car out of it. I felt like 150 thousand dollars was a little strong."
"I think when he (Busch) pulled up and ran into the side of the 22 after the race, it just sent him (Childress) over the top," said Elliott Sadler. "Honestly, as a driver, if my owner is going to stick his neck out on the line for me like that it says a lot for Richard Childress as a person and an owner."
"Honestly, I would love to race for a team owner like that," continued Sadler. "It's like all for one and one for all when you are messing with RCR. It's always been like that."
You can use the links on the right side of this page to read more on this topic from NASCAR websites and blogs. It was interesting to see the various opinions being offered on this rather unique topic.
What we are looking for is your take on how the media handled the Childress suspension and how you got the news about this topic. It was a Monday theme on TV, radio and online. To add your comment, just click on the comments button below. Thanks for taking the time to stop by The Daly Planet.
40 comments:
watched both NASCAR Now & Racehub. You know, I thought they all handled the discussion in a mostly fair way. I'm usually critical of the networks in that they rarely criticize NASCAR. But in this case, both shows had people who offered opinions with logical *reasons*...not just babbling...to back up their opinions. I didn't agree with it all, but thought it was fairly well balanced. I loved what RC did, though personally thought a suspension was in order...but I must say. Appropriate punishment has a lot to do with who you are. RC has earned respect, Kyle hasn't. Perhaps that's the message. I did think Ricky's 'what if he was hurt' was a bit of a stretch. I think you could hit someone with an expectation of not inflicting serious damage.
I did appreciate Steve's 'disclosure' of Larry Mac. Only fair to say what the relationship was.
Does it not seem obvious that on this issue we have a conflict of views from "OLD SCHOOL" fans and former racers and "new fans" that the sport has tried to "cultivate" the last few years. The new fans have left, the old fans are not happy, the face of NASCAR is not ol DW, it is RC or Junior Johnson or the Wood Brothers, the Allisons, David Pearson and as Tim Brewer said it plain, that is how they would react. This is not a game, this is serious business, and the people who have been in it a long time have no isssue with RC actions. IMHO
I get all my news from Twitter ;)
$150K is pocket change for a gazllionaire & double secret probation doesn't mean a thing especially since he's unlikely to do anything again.
I was flipping through channels a little after 3:30 PM ET and saw Ricky Craven on ESPNEWS. I think ESPN did a good thing by having Craven appear on SportsCenter rather than trying to give their own opinions. Maybe they've already learned from last Saturday night's disaster.
I first heard of the incident here on JD's site. Then read some of the articles on Jayski's. I do not watch either NN or RH because they were so mandy pandy in the past and I just have not got the desire to watch them again. I must say I am surprise by JD's comments on how they covered the event and that Larry Mac did not spew the nascar line. Nascar should secretly give the money back to RC because incidents like this put the color back into the sport. Also, RC would not have popped KB because of a one time incident. This had to have been building for a while and since nascar did not handle KB's antics, RC felt he had no choice. MC
JD-I assume you saw on the Nascar section of sppeed.com last night that Newman was supposedly fined 50 grand for slugging JPM in the Nascar hauler at Darlington?? I received info on Busch v. Childress on the Networks and the racing web sites. I think the media did a very poor job of handling the incident, but fully expected it. Childress is an icon with four active Cup teams. The talking heads know that if they want access,they'll have to tread lightly. Since Larry Mac worked for RCR and Sadler currently works for Harvick, I didn't expect them to come down on Richard last night. I raced cars for a number of years and have a lot of business experience. Personnel issues (some very serious) are common and need to be handled fairly and accurately. Careers are on the line and law suits are common. What doesn't make sense to me after all that has been said is what really put Richard over the top. This isn't his first rodeo. Coulter ran Kyle up to the wall and got a frikkin doughnut on his door and Richard goes crazy??? Then the idiots on NN and Race Hub go on about all the hours to repair Coulter's car and Harvicks after it coasted 20 feet into the pit wall??? Are you guys serious? If you watch the replays of Darlington, Harvick was 85% responsible for what happened. If I were Kyle, I would have wrecked the #29 too. Especially after he wrecked Kyle at Homestead in November because he was racing him hard. As I said, Its not at all clear to me why Richard reacted the way he did unless Kyle has really gotten under their skin for winning as much as he does in all three series and poses a real threat for the Cup championship. The Nascar media to me are useless but the Brewers, Larry Macs and Sadler are an embarrassment.
I have all the respect in the world for Richard Childress. I've followed his career since the 60's and admire what he has accomplished.
That said, I'm surprised he didn't get at least a one race suspension.
As for the comments by the talking heads?
Brewer is looking for a job. He won't say anything bad about an owner. Old timer too.
Sadler would love to be back in Cup. He's not going to say anything bad about an owner. Old timer also.
McReynolds worked for Childress and has always shown bias. Also an old timer.
I think what James said has a lot of merit.
I thought Craven's remarks were
a little wimpy and PC. Benson
seemed to straddle the line, while
Brewer evoked big smiles on the set. One could tell Larry Mac had
been to the RCR training school.
Can't wait for Delana to design
the T-shirt.
I would suggest that the shrub give RC cars a wide berth for the next few races. Don't give them the chance to get "a little loose" anywhere near his car.
To Ricky Craven... So what if someone on pit road had been injured when Kyle pushed a driverless 29 car into the wall?
I didn't watch NN, but based on what you wrote about Craven, I think he's all wet. When did he become such a bleeding heart? I guess he's forgotten what its like to be in a race car. KyBu might have gotten a bloody nose or a black eye, it's not like Richard went after him with a tire iron.
I am happy to see that Larry stayed consistent with his message on RaceHub though since I did watch that. Larry has said for a long time, if you have a problem, settle it man to man, not by busting up the race cars. Oh wait, Kyle did that at Darlington and again in the truck race. Hmmm, maybe that's why RC was mad?
I think the NASCAR tweets are hilarious. Poor babies, they have to work SOOO hard and try to be "fair". Ha! and I will believe that when pigs fly.
IMO, the penalty was too high.
With his money, Childress got off free. He eas guilty of a criminal act and was not punished for it. If he had done what he did to anyone else in the public square, he would have been arrested and almost surely been found guilty in court.
He got off with a slap on the wrist because he hit a driver that many people don't like and he got special treatment.
I never thought this day would come, but Tim Brewer was awesome on Monday's NASCAR Now. That had to be the best (and most honest) analysis he's ever given - and I understood what he said!
I still don't understand how Nascar can say that Kyle didn't violate his "probation" by knocking the truck in the side..AFTER the race.
RC deserves a big applause for putting the little twerp on notice.
Like Carl Edwards deserved to sit out a race or two for deliberately going after Brad K last year, being some 100 laps down...they won't do anything to Busch until the other owners and manufacturers and sponsors put the screws to Nascar.
Leave it to Tim Brewer to say something profound. Brewer said.."I don't blame Childress for doing what he did." So Tim, what exactly did Kyle do to warrant Childress jumping him? I mean, I listened to Mike Helton say that Kyle did absolutely nothing to justify the reaction by Richard. So Tim, can you give us the benefit of the unending wisdom that you bestow upon us regularly from the Tech Garage?
for those of you saying Kyle didn't do anything to warrant this...oh, puleez. This goes back a long ways--it was not about the door donut--it was about years of putting up with his antics. At some point, with every child, you have to say 'no more' and if they cross the line, even over something minor, you have to follow through. Yes, I think the punishment was too light. But if all RC was upset about, anon 6:52, was Kyle winning, why hasn't he been punching Jimmie Johnson or Denny Hamlin?
I think we all know, no talking heads are going to be really objective about NASCAR. That has *never* been true. If they do, they'll be looking at a pink slip (yes, it has happened, and yes, it's NASCAR who dictated it, regardless of who the actual employer was.) They can take away the hard card and make it impossible for you to do your job. Why NASCAR does this when other sports don't, and aren't afraid to take the criticism I have never understood. I think the NFL, the NBA, all the major leagues get publicity even when they're being criticized by the press so they go with it. It all goes back to the days of Big Bill's 'benevolent dictatorship'. Sure, it's time to get over that, but as we can see, no one wants to be the first to try and make it happen.
I've seen Nolan Ryan do the same thing to a batter during a baseball game too. It's the heat of the battle but my observation is that if Sr. were still alive and driving I think things would be different out on the track. Maybe RC going way back with Nascar had something to do with the light penalty. Someone mentioned Carl flipping and almost killing Brad K last year and people stuck up for CE and Nascar only put him on probation I don't remember whether there was a fine or not. What RC did was really nothing he's 65 and KyBucsh is 26 I didn't see any marks on Kyle. And Nascar's probation is a joke.
RC is old school, that is missing from the sport. Take nothing away from KB's ability to drive a car, but he runs his mouth, and can't back it up. Here are the facts, the Bush brothers are 0-4. Kurt, runs his mouth about Spencer, gets his nose busted. 0-1. Kyle tries to rough up Steve Wallce, Steve almost rips his head off. 0-2. Kyle turns KH into the wall, KH confronts him, Kyle runs. 0-3. Now he hits the nerve of an old school guy. 0-4. Again, he can drive a race car, no dispute there, he runs his mouth, then hides under the covers. Man up Kyle, Your a punk, with no Punk !!!
This was not an owner against a driver. This was an owner against and owner/driver and both of them are grown men with Kyle having the edge because he is a young man. This fine was way too high based on what Kyle got for his Darlington antics and Kyle got nothing for his speeding ticket. Listen folks, you are on probation as a driver, do you go out and deliberately run into a race vehicle of the other owner who you've been involved with at Darlington? Well, most people with a little sense wouldn't but Kyle has proven that he is not very smart about things. And, if you were Nascar, wouldn't you have emphasized to Kyle to avoid any deliberate contact with a Childress Car? Yet, Kyle bumped Richard's Truck after Richard had already warned Busch not to and I assumed Nascar should have too. That's why I'm puzzled as to why Nascar was so fast to absolve Kyle of any blame for this incident when it's clear if not for Kyle's bump of the Childress Truck this would have never happened. And, just because you have a little money doesn't make you happy when people tear your equipment up. And, what about the past history of both involved? To my knowledge, Childress hasn't had any discipline problems with his self that I can think of. Yet, Kyle has had quite a few events the last several years. This is his third event in about three weeks. Darlington, the speeding ticket, and the bumping of Childress' Truck. How can Nascar not blame Kyle for this. He's the one that bumped Richard's Truck. And, it's clear that Kyle wasn't injured for what happpened but Kyle's actions over the last few years could of very easily resulted in some serious injuries and a lot of other drivers/owners equipment has be destroyed by Kyle's Actions. The only thing I can figured out is Toyota must be really paying Nascar some big money.
I saw NN last night and was pleasantly surprised to hear what Tim Brewer said. I like him, just not on the Tech Garage segments that interrupt the racing (big box). We'd probably dislike anyone in that role no matter who it was.
KyB had this coming. I'm glad RC punched him. I bet others in the garage and elsewhere agree with this. I've heard that the fines go into the point fund, so maybe RC will get some of it back when his drivers make the chase. ;)
I'm still wondering why there isn't any video evidence of this, or is there? Did nascar confiscate the cell phones of those in the garage and delete it? Or, threaten fines if shown? I'm also wondering why KyB got a pass for hitting Coulter's truck with malice and not as a "good job kid, you out Kyled me" hit. At least his probation should've been extended.
Dot, for your video answer--even if someone was close enough to film, everyone in the garage has a hard card. People know who was around. They've figure out who released it and you'd be in big trouble. It's okay to have issues amongst themelves, but they close ranks when it comes to the press. I think there is just a code there, you know not to do it.
What I did not hear was the obvious point. Well, at least to me it is obvious. The fine, the suspension are really academic. $150k, $300k would not matter to RC. Probation (whatever that means) or suspension for "X" number of races would not matter to RC. Just would not.
What matters is KyBu, and everyone here knows I am a fan of his, now KNOWS "something." THAT "something" will stick with him for a long, long time.
No one in the media, at least that I have seen, mentioned this.
I'd say the penalty was worth, to RC, every single penny. Every single one.
Hearing some of the comments by some of the analysts tells me the networks need to take the handcuffs off their announcers.
I think Childress should have been suspended. A big fine means nothing. I was suprised Kyle Busch get nothing. He's the one that slammed into Childress' truck for no good reason. I guess I can't blame Childress for doing what he did. But a message also needs to be sent that an owner can't take matters into their own hands and physically confronting a driver that doesn't work for him.
Dale was well known for damaging competitor's cars to win a race. Harvick is not the model of even temperament. There's a pattern of aggression at RCR that needs to be addressed by NASCAR but this was not the answer.
I think the story is overblown because writers are short on exciting stories. Nobody got hurt and the fine won't change anything. Agree that battles should be handled in the garage instead of on the track where things can go bad quickly, but that's how racing has always been and will always will be.
If NASCAR thought this was serious they would have suspended the team from racing. Like Carl Long's $200k fine and 8 race suspension for being .017 cubic inches over. Or Mayfield's lifetime ban. They put him on probation just like they did for Robby Gordon's altercation.
PS: I found out through Google News
i'm starting to think nascar lost it's history, 79 Daytona anyone and of course before then
AR--I think we all appreciate some candor from a Kyle fan. We all know Kyle has great talent. In fact, I dislike him so much that I kept hoping his maturity would *not* catch up with him, lol, cause then he would be a bigger threat. The difference I've seen between Kyle & Kurt is that Kurt eventually started to care what others (perhaps not always his cc or team...) thought of him. Kyle doesn't. That doesn't make him evil, just immature and selfish. It has occurred to me that eventual parenthood would change him. But I also think of some of the other drivers who've been given 'lessons' like this...Ernie Irvan comes to mind...and for Kyle, I do hope it sticks. He only makes the road harder for himself. The press is obviously going to focus on this all week, but my hope is that we won't see the camera close up every time an RCR car gets within 20 feet of the 18.
Kyle Busch is a bully and just like in real life sometimes a bully has to be knocked to the ground. Kudos to Childress.
KYle bush was warned by RC LEAVE MY CARS ALONE. if u have a problem go face to face with it.
Kyle is a Big man behind the wheel using the car/truck as a weapon. but is a WIMMP in face to face meeting.
Nascar said KYLE did nothing wrong, BS he ran into the truck. If that id the case after every race someone or everyone should run into KYLE's car
I'm thoroughly enjoying the posts on this thread. You have to give some folks kudos for being consistent. There are several posts this morning from people who, several weeks ago thought that Samantha Busch was just a bimbo and the other thought Sam was a bimbo because he didn't consider her degree major from Perdue 'worthy'. You'll never guess their position on the Childress meltdown?!? Growing up in Pennsylvania, there was a Pennsylvania Dutch saying..."give some people enough rope, and they'll hang themselves.."
"What if Kyle was injured?" Seriously Ricky Craven? That dipweed Busch drives 128mph on a city street in the middle of the day when soccer mommies could have pulled out in front of him at any moment and THAT doesn't get your attention but three punches from Childress does? Seriously? Where are your priorities? I normally abhor vigilante justice but between NASCAR looking the other way and the Busch-Gibbs apologists and the complicit sponsors who silently endorse this young man's behavior I just don't think there was any other way to get his attention that it's time to straighten up and fly right. Heck 50k a punch probably wasn't enough. Shoulda hit him another 250k worth.
Anon 11:06 brought up a point that I thought of when the incident happened.
Richard was in the role of Truck owner and Kyle was in the role of Truck owner/driver.
All media/fans have their own opinion of the incident and fine for their own reasons.
As for myself, I'm ready to move on. :)
I enjoyed the Time Brewer analysis because I agree with it.
Why not move Brewer out of the tech garage and into a 90 second editorial role each Monday on NN?
I am amused by the moral outrage in the media and many of the fans. When did NASCAR get to be such a genteel sport?
The first Hall of Fame class included a moonshiner who spent time in jail. The second class included a man who was a central particiapant in the most famous fistfight in NASCAR history complete with a national audience. Drivers regularly use their 3600 pound cars as weapons at high speed when they lose patience or feel the need to make a point. Tony Stewart does a lot of good work. Does that excuse the times he has intentionally wrecked people at speed?
And don't look too closely at the owners. One current prominent owner had a felony conviction until a friend bought a pardon with a donation to an outgoing president. I believe Stewart's partner was in prison at the time Stewart became the visible side of the business. And you have to love Joe Gibbs. He can have a come to Jesus meeting and forgive any of his employees for anything. Well, anything but not winning enough. That's the only sin that will get you fired at Joe Gibbs Racing.
I saw the NN show. I have been a big fan of Ricky Craven as a broadcaster, but I think he screwed this one up badly. In contrast, this was the first time Tim Brewer said anything that was worth listening to. I am also a fan of Allen Bestwick and desperately wish he was doing play by play. But his commentary on this issue made him sound like he just fell off the turnip truck. He's been around the sport long enough to know better.
For the record, I am not a fan of Richard Childress or Kyle Busch. I don't have a dog in this fight. I simply take the larger view and put this in perspective. It was a tempest in a teapot.
i can see alot of you kybu fans,don t really know how many hours and money goes into repairing a front nose,hood and fenders.ive been on the losing end of repairing a damaged race car.you might think "oh it didnt hit that hard,why are they complaining about it.well it takes about a week to get the wrecked pieces removed carefully so you dont make any more work that is unnessesary,and assuming it didnt bend the frame horns down,meaning a new front clip,that means taking the car to nascars r&d center to be re certified,costing about & 3500.00 dollars.a new nose from chevrolet costs about $2500.00,and a new radiator from C&R,costs around &1500.00.I havent got to the point of employees salaries.So you so called fans should do a little research before you spout off about how little the damage looked on tv.
I seem to remember a driver in Nationwide that seemed to wreck people on purpose week after week. That would Kevin Harvice and he intentionally wrecked Greg Biffle over and over in NW.
So Childress is also one big hypocrite. -
and les not forget Dale Sr. another Childress driver who wrecked people on purpose and admitted it afterwards. But all he hqad to do is sweet talk Bill France Jr or maybe he knew the private phone line to Bill.
To you people who believe KB "deserved" it - you are a bunch of idiots. It was a crime. He should have pressed charges but of course that never happens in sports. Childress should have been arrested and charged.
So if your loved one gets assaulted but you find out that he bad-mouthed the attacker then its all good then? right. Thats what you are saying. Your son gets punched out but had trash-talked big-time. Then he "DESERVED IT"?
THINK ABOUT IT.
To Anon 11:19 AM, thanks for your answer. A point I wasn't thinking of when I posted.
well, i was going to sit this one out but what the heck! my opinions:
1. it was an owner on owner moment, not owner on driver.
2. RC was neither defending nor protecting a young driver. he was protecting his company and equipment.
3. RC issued a warning; it wasn't heeded; he handled it the old-fashioned way.
4. probation apparently is irrelevant. otherwise KB would have not been absolved of any responsibility in the fracas by nascar.
5. i would much rather see garbage like this settled with fists to the head instead of using cars at high speeds as weapons.
like anon@6:29, i have no favorite in all this. but i once again offer this thought:
take the personalities out of this & then determine how you'd feel. better yet, substitute YOUR driver for KB and/or YOUR owner for RC. still feel the same way? honestly?
bottom line: i have no problem w/what happened nor with the penalty handed down to RC. nascar couldn't do nothing so it came as close as possible to that as it could.
those who mock nascar will do so no matter what. this isn't going to destroy our sport's reputation: either one "gets" racing or one doesn't.
and i like to think i "get" it.
Anon 8:00 p.m. History lesson here - Kurt Busch tried the "let's press charges" deal when Spencer punched him in the nose after KuBu trying to intentionally wreck him at speed in a race.
It made KuBu the laughing stock of the garage and the fan base.
I was at Darlington the race when Jimmy Spencer came off probation -- it sure looked like the entire grandstand stood up and cheered when he was introduced.
NASCAR talks out of both sides of its face with this stuff. They allow drivers to wreck one another at will on the track without any penalty -- and yes, I do think there is a difference between bumping someone out of the way vs deliberately wrecking them and yet they cry foul when someone tweets comments they don't like.
At 8:00 PM on June 7th, Anonymous spewed from his keyboard these immortal words: "To you people who believe KB "deserved" it - you are a bunch of idiots." Well, Awesome, I will have to defer to you on the subject of idiots since you appear to have much more expertise than most all the people I know.
Spence took one shot a Busch brother and had to sit out for a week. RC pokes the other one several times and gets a fine that's probably less than his annual taxidermy bill.
Post a Comment