Martinsville Using Footage Of Kenseth Wrecking Logano To Sell Tickets To Sunday's Race

Martinsville Speedway is using video of Matt Kenseth's intentional wreck of Joey Logano in last fall's Sprint Cup race at the track "in a commercial as it tries to sell tickets" for Sunday's STP 500, according to Bob Pockrass of ESPN.com. It is natural that the track "would want to build on" the drama around the wreck, but Kenseth's actions resulted in a two-race suspension, the "harshest penalty ever to a Sprint Cup driver for an on-track incident." That begs the question of if Kenseth's role in wrecking Logano "warranted suspension, does the track condone it -- and even celebrate it -- by putting it in a commercial?" Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell said that he "wouldn't use any highlight of a crash if someone gets hurt." However, no one got hurt, and Campbell said NASCAR's handling of the two drivers "is between them." Campbell: "What do people want me to show? The pace lap? I mean, really. ... I get paid to sell tickets. I don't think that (ad) crossed over the line. ... I wouldn't think twice about it" (ESPN.com, 3/29).