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Leagues and Governing Bodies

You Wreck Me: NASCAR Suspends Kenseth For Two Races After Logano Incident

NASCAR yesterday suspended Sprint Cup Series driver Matt Kenseth for two races for "deliberately wrecking Joey Logano in the closing laps on Sunday at Martinsville Speedway," according to Tom Jensen of FOXSPORTS.com. Kenseth will miss Sunday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway and the following week's race at Phoenix Int'l Raceway. He will be "eligible to return for the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway." Kenseth has also been "placed on NASCAR probation for a six-month period following issuance of the penalty notice." Kenseth's team, Joe Gibbs Racing, "plans to appeal the penalties." The last time NASCAR suspended a driver for "on-track contact was four years ago at Texas Motor Speedway, when Kyle Busch was forced to miss both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Xfinity Series races after deliberately wrecking Ron Hornaday Jr. in a Camping World Truck Series race at that track" (FOXSPORTS.com, 11/3). A NASCAR spokesperson said that the appeal "will be expedited." ESPN.com's Bob Pockrass noted that "means it could occur prior to the race Sunday." NASCAR will "not defer the suspension pending appeal." If it "cannot have its appeal heard by this weekend or loses the appeal, JGR would use development driver Erik Jones, who currently leads in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series standings" (ESPN.com, 11/3). NBCSN's Marty Snider reported JGR had "hoped that NASCAR would take a stronger look at the past precedent with both Carl Edwards and Jeff Gordon, drivers who had intentionally taken other drivers out in races and were not suspended" ("NASCAR America," NBCSN, 11/3). 

DRAWING A HARD LINE: NBCSPORTS.com's Dustin Long noted the "monumental penalty provides a warning to drivers not to impact" the Chase for the Sprint Cup" (NBCSPORTS.com, 11/3). NBCSN’s Dale Jarrett said NASCAR “has made a big statement in moving forward to tell these drivers exactly how they’re going to react if you should put yourself in this situation.” NBCSN’s Jeff Burton said NASCAR has “drawn a line in the sand and said, ‘Here’s what acceptable.’” He added, "I like the fact that they took a stand, and this has no place (in racing). I just wish they would have taken the stand before this incident happened” ("NASCAR America," NBCSN, 11/3). Fox' Jeff Hammond said, "There's no consistency here, that's the only thing that worries me." Hammond: "They now have set a new precedent. When you look back at situations like this in the past, they definitely did not follow suit. They dropped the hammer on him, and they dropped it hard” ("NASCAR Race Hub," FS1, 11/3).

PLAYING THE BLAME GAME? ESPN.com's Pockrass wrote NASCAR "bears some of the responsibility" in the Kenseth-Logano situation. It "created this Chase for the Sprint Cup elimination format," and NASCAR Chair & CEO Brian France "acknowledged that they knew this format would put a spotlight on their officiating." Pockrass: "Maybe he didn't realize that it also put the spotlight on everything he says." NASCAR "had to act" against Kenseth, because if the sanctioning body "condoned Kenseth's actions and vigilante justice, it would just encourage an increased sense of lawlessness in a sport where teams need to have some sort of order to encourage fair competition and keep things safe" (ESPN.com, 11/3). USA TODAY's Brant James writes under the header, "Blame NASCAR For Chaos." NASCAR "started this mess," and "hopefully it will own its share of the controversy and confusion it has created about its rules and enforcement and 'Boys have at it' policy" as much as Kenseth. Series officials will "deal with the backlash from legions of fans and some drivers who find this sort of minor league nonsense part of the sport because it was made folklore before NASCAR became a major league sport" (USA TODAY, 11/4). YAHOO SPORTS' Nick Bromberg wrote as drivers "started fulfilling NASCAR's desire for drama and promotable moments, the sanctioning body helped incite an avalanche" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 11/3).

TOUGH LOVE: In Orlando, George Diaz writes NASCAR "had to send a tough-love message to Kenseth," as for three consecutive weeks, there have been "suspect and controversial outcomes at races." NASCAR has "gone all-in on the 'Boys Have At It' brand of racing," and while it "may be a good thing for interest and ratings, it also puts the sport's credibility into a nosedive." The sport is "not embracing its traditional roots by ignoring the mayhem." Diaz: "It's adopting a new business model where championship hopes are manipulated right before our eyes, and no one seem inclined to do a thing about it" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 11/4). In Virginia, Aaron McFarling writes, "'Have at it, boys' needs to be junked. Or at least updated. Or clarified. Or something." That is "assuming that NASCAR wants to be recognized as a legitimate sport in the modern age." McFarling: "'Have at it, boys' was a desperation move. It was introduced by France in 2010 as a way to placate an old-line fan base that the sanctioning body had alienated during its money grab of the early 2000s." But "times have changed," and the modern sports fan is "so used to the pursuit of perfection that chaos only provides a momentary high" (ROANOKE TIMES, 11/4).

DANICA ALSO PENALIZED: Driver Danica Patrick yesterday "was fined $50,000 by NASCAR ... for crashing into David Gilliland" during Sunday’s race at Martinsville. Patrick also was "placed on probation through Dec. 31." Patrick "targeted Gilliland on track during the race after the pair had a racing encounter earlier in the event" (USA TODAY, 11/4).

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