Letter to NASCAR

Sent just now, by e-mail:

To whom it SHOULD concern:

I just watched the replay of the Atlanta race and the Carl Edwards incident on Speed. Based on your "boys, have at it" policy it's likely this is the last NASCAR race I'll ever watch.

If NASCAR is going to descend to an NBA level of thuggery, you should spell it "boyz" just to be honest. Seriously. Perhaps you could change your name to Cirque du NASCAR or (if that's too elitist) simply ASSCAR.

I'm 51 years old, and have been a racing fan since age 9. I have personally raced everything from motorcycles to go-karts to cars. I've also crewed and spent plenty of time in hot pits at levels as high as Champcar. I cannot recall an example of such dangerous behavior that went not just unpunished but was, upon consideration, encouraged with a wink. I've watched and participated in examples of both highly gracious sportsmanship and adrenaline fueled red mist. Bad behavior comes with the territory, but it cannot be encouraged. Ever.

When, not if, a spectator, driver, crewman or NASCAR employee is injured or killed by this sanctioned dumbassery you will be sued. It's your policy to allow behavior that goes beyond dangerous to stupid, which voids any waiver of any kind. You've sanctioned reckless endangerment, and the result is foreseeable. You'll lose in court, and you deserve to. I hope it costs you tens of millions, and no one their life. (Should someone actually die as a result of this quest for viewers, it wouldn't disappoint me to see you charged criminally as well. Sad? Yes. Disappointed? No.)

This is more free legal advice than you deserve. If you don't have an attorney on staff, it's time to hire one. If you DO have an attorney, it's still time to hire one. I'd be fascinated to hear back from Mike Helton on this. Do you have the guts to show him this letter??

In utter disgust,

----

PS - It's never too late to admit a mistake and do the right thing. A lot of folks are watching, and not all of us are stupid...

Edit: A reply! "First and foremost, we want to thank you for your interest in NASCAR. You can be assured that we take your feedback seriously. Everyone at NASCAR understands that the success of our sport depends on the support of the fans.

We read every e-mail we receive from our fans and respond to as many as possible. Thanks again, and we hope you enjoy the rest of the season."