Read yesterday that Nascar fined Denny Hamlin for comments after last weeks race. I thought he was really being screwed. Apparently Denny thought so too. He says he’s not going to pay any fine and will appeal it. His first reaction was: “Ultimately, I’m not OK with it,” Hamlin said of the penalty. “This is the most upset and angry I’ve been about anything in a really, really long time anything that relates to NASCAR … the truth is what the truth is and I don’t believe in this, I’m never going to believe in it. As far as I’m concerned, I’m not going to pay the fine. If they suspend me, they suspend me. I don’t care at this point.”
Later he went on to say: The short of the long of it is I believe I was severely disrespected by NASCAR by getting fined. I believe that the simple fact of us not even having a conversation about this issue before I was hit with a fine has something to say about our relationship. What I said was 1 sentence taken completely out of context. Most drivers will tell you that we constantly have our AND nascars best interest in mind when speaking. On the other hand I am a person that worked very hard from the BOTTOM to get where I am today and someone telling me that I can (?sic) give my 100 percent honest opinion really bothers me. Since being fined in 2010 I have been a lot more careful about what I say to media and I felt this past weekend felt completely in my rights to give a assessment of the question asked. I feel as if today NASCAR lost one of its biggest supporters vocally of where our sport is headed. So in the end there are no winners. I said today I would not pay the fine. I stand by that and will go through the process of appealing. Trust me, this is not about the money. It’s much deeper. I will now shift my focus on giving FedEx and my team what they deserve this weekend, a win."
I got the quotes from Jayski.com. Read more about it there.
This is two weeks in a row that Nascar has fined a driver for something they said. I thought the Daytona fine was questionable. I feel Hamlin’s fine is ridiculous.
I have been either a driver, owner or crewman on race cars since 1977 and have met a lot of guys over the years and we all feel the same; we would last about 1 week with Nascar before we told them to -uck-off. Don’t even watch it anymore because of how they think they are god all mighty. They did it once in the past, they should all get together, park the cars on pit road cover them up and tell Mr. Nascar how things are goping to work from now on. Who in the hell do they think they are…
[QUOTE=Winger;122522]Read yesterday that Nascar fined Denny Hamlin for comments after last weeks race. I thought he was really being screwed. Apparently Denny thought so too. He says he’s not going to pay any fine and will appeal it. His first reaction was: “Ultimately, I’m not OK with it,” Hamlin said of the penalty. “This is the most upset and angry I’ve been about anything in a really, really long time anything that relates to NASCAR … the truth is what the truth is and I don’t believe in this, I’m never going to believe in it. As far as I’m concerned, I’m not going to pay the fine. If they suspend me, they suspend me. I don’t care at this point.”
Later he went on to say: The short of the long of it is I believe I was severely disrespected by NASCAR by getting fined. I believe that the simple fact of us not even having a conversation about this issue before I was hit with a fine has something to say about our relationship. What I said was 1 sentence taken completely out of context. Most drivers will tell you that we constantly have our AND nascars best interest in mind when speaking. On the other hand I am a person that worked very hard from the BOTTOM to get where I am today and someone telling me that I can (?sic) give my 100 percent honest opinion really bothers me. Since being fined in 2010 I have been a lot more careful about what I say to media and I felt this past weekend felt completely in my rights to give a assessment of the question asked. I feel as if today NASCAR lost one of its biggest supporters vocally of where our sport is headed. So in the end there are no winners. I said today I would not pay the fine. I stand by that and will go through the process of appealing. Trust me, this is not about the money. It’s much deeper. I will now shift my focus on giving FedEx and my team what they deserve this weekend, a win."
I got the quotes from Jayski.com. Read more about it there.
This is two weeks in a row that Nascar has fined a driver for something they said. I thought the Daytona fine was questionable. I feel Hamlin’s fine is ridiculous.[/QUOTE]
Ol Den better re-read the paperwork he signed to be a NASCAR driver. NASCAR owns him and everything about him. He will pay the fine unless NASCAR decides he doesn’t have to.
As for fining competitors for what they say, how they look, or even getting across the infield fast enough ( or whatever that was that Ricky Brooks pulled on the drivers at NSS ), it’s ridiculous in any sport, but the sanctioning bodies have given themselves omnipotent powers and they aren’t going to give them up anytime soon. Some day maybe the drivers will try to organize again. Or maybe one Sunday they’ll all call in sick.
I am amazed NASCAR uses SUNOCO fuel.They think and act like Hugo Chavez so why not CITGO. And yes like Chavez I think NASCAR has cancer as well. If drivers cannot let their fans know why they looked bad in a race what incentive is there for NASCAR to improve the product. I know I am old but this is America. Does NASCAR have the right to police public comment, certainly they do, if it is malicious or unfounded.
NASCAR only uses Sunoco because Sunoco offered to pay them the most money. That’s the way NASCAR works. This isn’t the NASCAR from years past. This bunch is ONLY concerned with money. Take the time to read a NASCAR press release concerning the business side of the sport. You’ll see the words platform, stakeholders, partners, and leverage used in almost every sentence. NASCAR is now run by a giant marketing department filled with 25 year olds , and free speech isn’t going to be allowed to get in the way of branding their product.