Tums Fast Relief 500 - October 30, 2011 - Martinsville Speedway


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Friday, May 28, 2010

NASCAR - Team or Individual Sport?

Almost a week after the clash between Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch during the All-Star race, the story is still a buzz in the media.  I’ve read numerous articles and blogs on the topic, and there doesn’t seem to be a clear consensus on who was right or wrong in the situation.  Should Denny Hamlin have let Kyle past him since they are teammates? Is the All-Star race different and should all drivers look out for themselves?  There are no clear cut answers to these questions…if you ask 5 different people, you’ll probably get that many answers.

The most interesting question to me is…should NASCAR be treated as a team or individual sport?  With all the attention the driver gets, racing seems like an individual sport. But now that NASCAR allows owners to run more than one car, the sport has evolved into more of a team sport.  It’s a bit confusing because even though the drivers race as part of a larger team, at the end of the season, only one driver can be the champion, not the whole team like in most sports.  So should drivers race differently on the track when they’re around their own teammates?  Should they race less aggressively if it will benefit the team?  Or should they focus on their own success and the championship at the end of the season?   There are no concrete answers to these questions, and each driver probably views the sport a little differently….if they didn’t, clashes like we saw during the All-Star race and other races this season wouldn’t get nearly the media attention they do!

What do you think?  Share your thoughts with us – we’d love to hear them!

Until next time, happy racing!!

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