A Trio of Races for Kraig Kinser this Week in Three States

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April 16, 2013

Bloomington, Ind.—April 16, 2013— While Kraig Kinser is used to being on the road for weeks on end competing with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series, there’s nothing quite like getting back to the shop and being home for a few days. That’s what he’ll enjoy later this week as he returns from a six-week stint on the West Coast for three races this week, including one in his home state of Indiana.

The week begins for Kinser on Tuesday, April 16 at El Paso Speedway Park in Texas, followed by a trip to Paducah International Raceway in Kentucky on Friday, April 19. He then heads to Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind., on Saturday, April 20, for the series annual visit to the always racy quarter-mile bullring.

“We are putting in plenty of miles this week for sure, though getting to race three times makes it worth it,” said Kinser. “It’s always nice to have a mid-week show, especially when you’re headed back to the Midwest all the way from California. We’ve been working hard all season and trying some different things, so hopefully all of that pays off as he we start going to some of these tracks we know pretty well.”

Kinser has raced once in his career at El Paso Speedway Park, with that coming last fall in a 360-sprint car event with the American Sprint Car Series (ASCS). He finished third in that 30-lap contest, with a very strong field of nearly 50 cars in attendance at the semi-banked, three-eighths-mile. He opened the night by coming from fourth to win the second eight-lap heat race, which put him in the redraw for the main event.

“Having some laps at El Paso last year in the 360 race certainly helps,” he shared. “We have a pretty good baseline. We kind of know what to expect as the night goes on as to the chances to track. Running against these guys, you have to use any extra bit of knowledge you may have, especially when going to a new track.”

Kinser has made five career starts at Paducah International Raceway with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series. He finished 11th at the high-banked, three-eighths-mile last season. He has one career top-10 finish at the venue with that coming in his second-ever start at Paducah in 2008. Last year he qualified seventh-fastest of the 29 drivers that were on-hand. He then finished third in the first eight-lap heat race, and lined up 12th for the 30-lap main event.

“Paducah can be a pretty racy surface depending on the weather and track conditions,” Kinser shared. “With the banking there you can run up top and really carry a lot of momentum around there. We always seem to qualify pretty good there and getting into the dash will be a key as always, as most of the races this year have been won by someone starting in the first couple of rows.”

The native of Bloomington, Ind., finished eighth at Tri-State Speedway last season and was a career-best fourth at the track in 2011. Kinser has recorded three consecutive top-10 finishes at Haubstadt. He made his first start with the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series at Tri-State Speedway in 2004 and has competed at the track a total of seven times with the series since. Last season he timed in ninth at the quarter-mile and followed that up by winning the third 10-lap heat race which put him in the dash where he finished seventh. He lined up on the inside of the fourth row for the 40-lap A-Feature, and wound up coming home eighth.

“Haubstadt is a race we always look forward to,” he noted. “Anytime we get to race close to home is great. There are so many people I grew up racing with from that area and we only get to see them a couple of times each year. It’s great to have family members come out and see us race and see what we do as well.”

Kinser enters this week 10th in the World of Outlaws championship standings on the strength of six top-10 finishes, of which two have been top-five showings, including a fifth-place run last weekend at Kings Speedway in California.

Kraig Kinser Racing would like to thank Casey’s General Stores, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Maxim, Aerodine Composites, Sander Engineering, Integra Shocks, All Star Performance, FK Rod Ends, Brown & Miller Racing Solutions, Bell, KSE Racing Products, ButlerBuilt,Schoenfeld Headers, Donovan Engineering, Fel-Pro, Brodix, Wilwood, Dyer’s, Barnes Systems, Ringer Gloves, Jakes Custom Golf Carts, and Ben Cook Racing Limited for their continued support.

Kraig Kinser By the Numbers: El Paso Speedway Park, Paducah International Raceway & Tri-State Speedway
0.25- Miles around Tri-State Speedway
0.375- Distance around El Paso Speedway Park and Paducah International Raceway in miles
1- Top-10 finish at Paducah in his career; Race in Texas and Kentucky, respectively, this season for the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series
3- Races in the state of Indiana this season for the series; Top-five finishes with the series at Tri-State Speedway
4- Finishing position at El Paso Speedway Park last season with the American Sprint Car Series
5- Starts for Kinser in his career at Paducah International Raceway
6- Top-10 finishes this season
7- Career World of Outlaws starts at Tri-State Speedway
8- Finishing position last season at Haubstadt
10- Position in the World of Outlaws STP Sprint Car Series standings
11.4- Average finishing position in seven-career World of Outlaws starts at Tri-State Speedway
13.4- Average finish in five-career appearances at Paducah International Raceway
146- Miles from Paducah International Raceway in Paducah, Ky., where the World of Outlaws race on April 19 to Tri-State Speedway in Haubstadt, Ind.
755- Miles from Perris Auto Speedway in California where the World of Outlaws raced on April 13 to El Paso Speedway Park in Texas
1,270- Miles from El Paso Speedway in Texas where the World of Outlaws raced on April 16 to Paducah International Raceway in Kentucky
1704- Points earned this season through April 13
2001- Year of first World of Outlaws start at Paducah
2004- Year of first World of Outlaws first start at Tri-State Speedway

Keep up with all the action
For the latest news on Kraig Kinser, visit http://www.kraigkinser.com, and follow Kraig on Twitter at http://twitter.com/kraigkinser11k and receive live updates from the track each and every race night.

Tune in
Listen live to each and every World of Outlaws event on DIRTVision.com with “The Voice of the Outlaws” Johnny Gibson on the call. Visitwww.DIRTVision.com for live audio of each and every World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series event.

INDYCAR NEWS AND NOTES – April 16, 2013

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SM Archive

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April 16, 2013

Surprising and Not Surprising: Texas NRA 500

By

SM Staff

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April 16, 2013

kylebusch_mikehollway — Photo Credit: Mike Holloway

From the agonizing delays in pre-race tech to the broom in Victory Lane, here is what was surprising and not surprising in the 17^th annual NRA 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Surprising: While it might have taken a surprising twenty years of trying, Norm Miller and Interstate Batteries, thanks to their driver Kyle Busch, finally made it to Victory Lane. This was Busch’s 26^th win in 300 Cup Series races and surprisingly his first win at Texas Motor Speedway in the Cup Series.

“For Interstate Batteries and Norm Miller to be in Victory Lane in Texas – there’s nothing better than putting him right here,” Busch said. “This feels good.”

In addition to the sweep at Texas, winning the Nationwide and Cup races, Busch and company also had a surprisingly stellar night in the pits. In fact, for eight pit stops, the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota team led the way statistically with the least amount of time on pit road.

“We had a great racecar, and we worked really hard all weekend, but without that pit crew – they’re the best in the business,” Busch said. “They know when it’s crunch time.”

Not Surprising: When a racer fails to win, especially after coming so close, it is not surprising that the end result is bitterness and disappointment. But for Martin Truex, Jr., the runner up run was almost unbearable, especially after losing the lead in the pits.

“Shoulda, coulda, woulda,” the driver of the No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota said. “I’m just disappointed.”

“The race was over when we got beat out of the pits,” Truex Jr. continued. “We’ve had a tough season and we had a car capable of winning.”

“I’m just tired of finishing second,” Truex Jr. said. “This is getting old. It sucks.”

Truex’s day got even worse when it was determined that his car flunked post-race inspection, being too low in the front. Any possible penalties issued by the sanctioning body may come early in the week.

Surprising: There was a surprising amount of drama prior to and after the race for team Penske. Both Keselowski and Logano had difficulty in pre-race tech, so much so that Logano almost did not make it out on the track for the start of the race.

Yet both Penske drivers managed to score top-ten finishes in spite of it all, with Logano in fifth and Keselowski in ninth.

“Shoot, I wasn’t even in the car yet,” Logano said. “It was a little too close for my comfort.”

“If you would have told me I would have finished fifth today, I would have given you a hug.”

Keselowski, however, had some harsh words for the sanctioning body after the race as a result of having to change the rear-end housing prior to the race.

“The things I’ve seen over the last seven days have me questioning everything I believe in and I’m not happy about it,” the driver of the Blue Deuce said. “You have no (expletive) idea what’s going on.”

“I feel like we’ve been targeted over the last seven days more than I’ve ever seen a team targeted,” Keselowski continued. “We’re not going to take it.”

As with Truex Jr., NASCAR will most likely assess penalties later in the week.

Not Surprising: Roush Fenway Racing traditionally does well at Texas Motor Speedway, so it was not surprising to see both Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle have good runs, finishing third and fourth respectively. Both RFR drivers, however, faced some significant obstacles along the way to both finish top-five.

Edwards had a mechanical issue with a cracked tailpipe and then had difficulties with his seat belts coming undone.

“That’s a gift for us,” the driver of the No. 99 Fastenal Ford said after the race. “I know Martin (Truex, Jr.) is not happy with second, but I’m real happy with third.”

Biffle also struggled, from starting towards the back with a 35^th qualifying spot to a speeding penalty on lap 224 for too fast entering the pits.

“It was a tough night,” Biffle said. “Our car definitely wasn’t as good as it was last year, but we battled back.”

Surprising: Dale Earnhardt Jr. suffered his worst finish of the season in 29^th after having an eventful evening. Junior struggled with seeing his pit sign, asking at one point for a deer spotlight on it, and then headed to the pits with a dead battery.

That started the perfect storm of other issues, since without the engine running the driver of the No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet sped and incurred a penalty. With that poor finish, Dale Jr. dropped three positions in the point standings, down to the sixth spot.

“It has been rough but we had a really good car tonight,” Junior said. “Eventually things will turn back around for us.”

Not Surprising: While this driver may have surprised a military veteran prior to the race, Aric Almirola has been steadily gaining momentum on the track, so much so that his seventh place finish was not at all surprising.

And with that good finish, the young driver gained two spots in the point standings, up to the 14^th position.

“We had a great car,” the driver of the No. 43 Petty race car said. “Todd Parrott and these guys gave me a great Eckrich Ford Fusion and I felt really good about it.”

“It was a great day, a great points day for us.”

Surprising: While not surprising to see mechanical failures in a race as grueling as Texas, it was surprising to see two of the stronger cars in the race succumb to those issues. Both Kurt Busch, in the No. 78 Furniture Row/Serta Chevrolet, and Jeff Gordon, in the No. 24 Cromax Pro Chevrolet, had difficulties, resulting in 37^th and 38^th place finishes respectively.

“I’m not sure maybe a burned wheel bearing or something,” Gordon said. “We’ll learn about what happened and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

“When you’re running solidly in the top-five and then to have a parts failure knock you out of contention, it’s frustrating,” Kurt Busch said. “We had a part on the fuel injection system break.”

“What’s done is done and we have to put tonight behind us and focus on getting these problems rectified sooner than later.”

Not Surprising: While many drivers had difficulty in the pits, from a fire in Matt Kenseth’s pit to Tony Stewart’s newest perpendicular approach to his pit stall, it was not surprising that the most basic issue, that of pit box color, tripped up at least two drivers on pit road.

Juan Pablo Montoya, who sports the traditional red and white colors, got a bit confused when he tried to pit in Dave Blaney’s stall, which also just so happened to be red and white for the evening.

Montoya finished 20^th and Blaney ended up in the 25^th spot in the race.

Surprising: While both rookies, sporting similar cowboy hats and boots, had surprisingly challenging days at Texas, Danica Patrick again beat out her boyfriend Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in the rookie battle on the track.

Patrick finished 28^th while Stenhouse Jr., after cutting down a left-rear tire and spinning, finished 40^th.

“It was a tough night,” Patrick said. “The car was just kind of all over the place.”

“It’s kind of tough to go straight when you lose a left-rear tire,” Stenhouse, Jr. said. “I felt like our car was pretty good, but it was just a tough break.”

Not Surprising: With Denny Hamlin at the track and on the pit box and a fast No. 11 FedEx Office/March of Dimes Toyota, it was certainly not surprising to see Brian Vickers, who is literally competing for a ride with each race, finish eighth.

“It feels great,” Vickers said of his top-ten run. “We’re pleased but I wanted to win.”

“I guess that’s what we are here for.”

The Final Word – Five who should be in NASCAR’s Hall of Fame

By

Ron Thornton

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April 16, 2013

When Richard Petty speaks of what he thinks about the 25 most recent nominees for NASCAR’s Hall of Fame, one should listen. That does not mean I have to agree, as it was announced last week that the 20 who missed the cut last year will be joined by five more contenders for induction.

Not surprisingly, the King’s criteria included “wins, championships, Daytona 500 winners and longevity.” This is not surprising coming from the man who won 200 Cup events, seven championships, seven Daytona 500’s and who drove from 1958 until 1992. However, I do agree with him on who will probably be his first pick.

Maurice Petty, brother of one Hall of Famer and the son of another, was the engine builder for nearly forty years with the family operation that won all those titles, those Daytona 500’s, and a majority of those race wins. I would expect the Petty name to be announced one more time.

Petty does not think a winner of 30-odd races should get in this year. Compared to his untouchable standards I can see where he is coming from, but among mere mortals Dale Jarrett had one hell of a career. He won the 1999 title, and of those 32 races he won three of them in the Daytona 500, added three Southern 500’s, a pair of Brickyard trophies, and a World 600 victory. In short, Jarrett claimed the biggest prizes in the sport, and if worthy of the final recognition.

Petty does not think now is the time for another fellow, but I think NASCAR can afford to replace Rick Hendrick’s plaque if three decades of success continues into a fourth. A team owner in his 30th season, he has won more races than anyone other than Petty and company, has 13 of NASCAR’s top series titles to his credit, ten of them in the Cup series. Still being active should not be a barrier for non-drivers.

At 86, Bruton Smith does not appear to be slowing down just yet. Smith was promoting stock car racing before there was a NASCAR, and if not for a stint in the army in the early 1950’s it might be his family instead of the France clan leading the way in the sport. Best known for his ownership of the track in Charlotte, which hosts both the World 600 and the all-star race, he also owns tracks in Atlanta, Bristol, Kentucky, Las Vegas, New Hampshire, Sonoma, and Texas. Smith’s time is now.

Four picks, but who to pick fifth? I like Joe Weatherly, who died in 1964 as the two-time defending champion. There is the legendary Fireball Roberts, a builder like “Annie B.” France, along with the pioneer who was Wendell Scott. Should someone who did not build a reputation in Cup be considered? 332 modified wins by Jerry Cook puts up a strong argument, as does the 31 Nationwide victories Jack Ingram recorded after hitting his 45th birthday.

Mind you, it would have been easier for me if one name had not been left off the list. Smokey Yunich was a mechanic, a builder, and crew chief who was so innovative that the NASCAR rule book should have been named in his honor. Maybe next year.

A Controversy a Week…

By

SM Staff

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April 16, 2013

Stewart_hs_RIR2 — Photo Credit: Barry Albert

A controversy a week seems to be the rule this season. We’ve had Kyle Larson going into the fence at Daytona followed by Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin at Bristol, closely followed by Joey Logano and Denny again at California and then the unexpected Joey and Tony near fight (water bottle toss) at California, followed by the Penske teams and rear housings at Texas. Let’s look at the facts.

The Daytona accident is still yet to be solved. Several people were injured and the seemingly impossible happened, and yet no word from either NASCAR or Daytona International Speedway if a solution has been found. Hamlin and Logano got together at Bristol when it appeared that Logano had the faster car and Hamlin got impatient, but the bad feelings continued on. In what was a superior race at California Speedway, it looked like hard racing, but Hamlin suffered an injury. Logano, not knowing that Hamlin was hurt said some things that probably weren’t appropriate, and Denny still appears to be bitter. Apparently the two communicated some way and it didn’t go well.

In the meantime, Logano seems to have turned the corner as a competitor. With the exception of Martinsville, Logano has been a changed driver. He has been at the front for most races and even at Texas where he didn’t seem to have a chance of being even competitive. The controversy of the week is the reason.

I follow the stories from the tracks even when I’m not there, and this blindsided me. Last week at Martinsville, I was dumbstruck at the penalty assessed to 2012 champion Brad Keselowski for pitting out of the pit box. My vantage could see that he was squarely in the box, and I was sitting in the press box, high above the track. The FOX crew said as much and yet he was penalized. It didn’t get much publicity in the euphoria of another Jimmie Johnson win at the Paper Clip or Danica Patrick finishing so well. It continued along this week at Texas.

Both Penske cars, those of Logano and Keselowski, went through two inspections at Texas without any problems until Saturday morning. Both cars were found to have rear end housings that violated the “spirited of the rules,” and the teams were ordered to change the rear end housings before they could race. Both teams made it into the field, Keselowski first and Logano barely making the race. To add insult to injury, Keselowski’s No. 2 Ford was taken to NASCAR’s technical facility for inspection. Both cars finished in the top 10, Logano in the top five, at race’s end, but Keselowski was livid.

His tirade after the race wasn’t caught on FOX’s nationwide coverage, but was played on SPEED’s post- race coverage. It was mild compared to Tony Stewart’s confrontation of Logano after the California race, but it accused NASCAR of targeting his team and that’s where the controversy starts. Denny Hamlin was fined for saying the Gen 6 car wasn’t all that. So what is going to happen this week? Will NASCAR fine the team or will it fine Keselowski for his comments? Greg Biffle says he saw the parts in question outside the NASCAR hauler and said the housing was “slotted,” whatever that means. Regardless, it should be an interesting week. Keselowski has shown that he is outspoken and not willing to not comment when something is unfair. That’s a stark difference in what we see in the multiple- times Hendrick Motorsports’ team No 48 team has been found to be in violation of the rules or at least pushing the envelope of the rules. Driver Johnson has been mostly silent, so it will be interesting if some penalties will be assessed. What is the better strategy? We will soon see. Remember the last case like this ended up with Hendricks team avoiding a penalty, except for the monetary fine. Nevertheless, it’s just another controversy that has to be resolved.

My best guess is that no penalties will be assessed. Brian France said earlier in the season that the only subject that was off-limits was the Gen6 car. Unless they find something totally against the rules in the Penske rear housings, the “slap on the wrist” will be in order. Keselowski’s comments were mild compared to Tony Stewarts after California, so the language, all beeped out, should not be a problem. Keselowski heads to the White House today, and any announcement is not likely. If penalties are announced, even tomorrow, maybe Keselowski was right. We will soon know.

Sam Hornish Jr. Eyeing a Cup Return in the Near Future

By

SM Staff

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April 16, 2013

SamHornishJr_Richmond_BradKeppel — Photo Credit: Brad Keppel

Any driver will tell you that being put into a ride before you know you’re ready for it can be catastrophic for your career. If you’re not ready for the ride, then you likely won’t succeed. When Sam Hornish Jr. made the transition from the Indy Car circuit to the NASCAR circuit back in 2007, he struggled right off of the bat. The lack of stock-car experience he had made it difficult for him to run well. His team-owner Roger Penske made the call in 2012 to put Hornish Jr. in the Nationwide Series so he could earn some experience. After one full-time season in the Nationwide Series, Hornish Jr. is starting to shape up to be a full-time Cup driver once again.

Last season for Hornish Jr. wasn’t exactly what he and his team had hoped for, but it did bring him some valuable stock-car experience. Just six races in to 2013, Hornish Jr. is showing off all of his ability behind the wheel of a stock car. He is in the points lead and he has already won a race. If he can have a similar performance throughout the rest of the season, he will be competing for the championship once November rolls around.

A Nationwide Series championship for Hornish Jr. will mean so much. First, it will show the NASCAR world that he has learned a lot in the last few years and that he is ready to return to the Cup Series. Second, it will show that he really does have stock-car talent and the risky move he made from Indy Car to NASCAR was very much worth it. Finally, it means that Hornish Jr. can easily be back in the top level of NASCAR and compete for the win each and every week. If he is to win the championship this season, it will be a major career milestone and it will show the world that he can perform well in a stock-car.

One major thing that Hornish Jr. will need to do in order to win the championship this season is to be consistent. If he’s consistent, then he will be able to stay in the running for the championship. Inconsistency could mean more time in the Nationwide Series next season which could help him learn even more about driving a stock-car, but he likely doesn’t even need it. The one factor that has to be different for him if he does return to the Cup Series is that he needs to be able to perform well and be in contention for the Chase.

When he left the Cup Series after 2010, it was much needed. Inconsistency and bad finishes plagued his season which left many to question his placement in NASCAR’s top series. It was clear that he needed to learn more so he could compete with the big-time Cup drivers. Currently, he is able to compete with the biggest Cup stars when they run in the Nationwide Series and that could mean he could do the same in the Cup races.

For Roger Penske to bring him back to the Cup Series, he’ll need to see a Sam Hornish Jr. that is capable of winning races each and every week. If Roger does see that, he will surely start a third Cup team again. Hornish Jr. currently has loyal Nationwide Series sponsors and if those sponsors want to venture up to the Cup Series with him, he’ll be golden. His Cup return may not come in 2014, but it will definitely be coming in the near future.

Success in NASCAR is one thing that Sam Hornish Jr. hasn’t got to taste yet. He is currently acquiring all the aspects success requires in the Nationwide Series and that could lead to future Cup achievements. He has gotten all the way up the NASCAR ladder before, but he fell back down when he couldn’t accomplish the things he needed to. Continuing to do well in the Nationwide Series could allow him to get right back up that ladder and show the whole NASCAR world that he is back and ready to succeed.

The France Legacy Continues With Ben Kennedy

By

SM Staff

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April 16, 2013

April15_Trucks_Kennedy_Main.jpg.main — Photo Credit: Getty Images

Over 65 years ago, visionary Bill France Sr. gathered 35 roughneck racers, track promoters and businessmen alike for the “First Annual Convention of the National Championship Stock Car Circuit.” At the conclusion of the 4 day meeting, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing or more commonly referred to as NASCAR was born. The first race took place at the Daytona Beach road course on February 21st, 1948. World War II air gunner, Robert “Red” Byron won the race driving a car prepared by legendary owner Raymond Parks. Together, they went on to win 11 of the 52 races on the schedule that year in route to what is now known as the first ever Modified championship.

“Big” Bill France created what would become the largest spectator sport on the planet attracting millions of fans and bringing in billions of dollars. In 1972, he handed control of the sport over to his 38 year old son; Bill France Jr. Bill Jr. took this predominantly southern sport and made it a nationwide spectacle. Jr. put together a deal with CBS Sports to have them nationally televise the 1979 Daytona 500 flag-to-flag which had never happened before. To this day, all race fans from every generation know about that historic race that put NASCAR on the map. The nation watched as Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison battled fiercely for the win on the final lap crashing into the turn three wall giving the victory to Richard Petty. Just when you thought it was over, a brawl ensued between Cale and the Allison brothers in the infield which was just icing on the cake for NASCAR.

During Bill Jr.’s tenure, big money sponsors entered the sport and multi-million dollar TV deals made NASCAR easier to watch than ever before. After being diagnosed with cancer in 2000, he made his son Brian France the new chairman and CEO of NASCAR. With Mike Helton by his side, the two led the sport through some tough times including the tragic death of Dale Earnhardt in 2001, the free fall in TV ratings around 2008 and a major drop in fan attendance. They are finally beginning to turn things around and 2013 will undeniably be looked back on as a major turning point in NASCAR’s history. The racecars actually look like their street counterparts again, we are returning to a dirt track for the first time 40 years, TV ratings and attendance have been up at almost every event and the drivers are actually showing emotion and passion for what they do.

A 4th generation France is coming up through the ranks but he isn’t dressed in a three-piece suit. No, the great grandson of Bill France Sr. is instead walking around the garage area in a fire suit with a helmet in his hand. His name is Ben Kennedy and he is the newest winner in the NASCAR K&N East Series. Last weekend, he led flag-to-flag at Five Flags Speedway winning in dominating fashion over Gray Gaulding. It was technically his second NASCAR sanctioned win but it’s his first on American soil. He won a NASCAR Euro Racecar event last year in a race that featured both wet and dry conditions. He currently sits 5th in the K&N East standings with two top 10’s after three races. In August, the 21 year old racer will make his Camping World Truck Series debut driving for Turner Scott Motorsports at Bristol. The future looks bright for this kid as he looks to make his mark on this sport not off the track like those who came before him did but behind the wheel of a racecar.

NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: Sometimes NASCAR’s sense of justice is a little complicated

By

SM Staff

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April 16, 2013

no2_dis1_getty — Photo Credit: Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Following a weekend at the Texas Motor Speedway that was loaded with story lines, NASCAR Chairman Brian France turned up the following Monday morning at the Fox Business Network, (FOXB), for a live television interview with network journalist Dagen McDowell. Also known as an avid fan of NASCAR racing, McDowell presented a well prepared interview and didn’t pull any punches with her questions.

Referencing reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski’s surprise media tirade against NASCAR officials, following Saturday night’s NRA 500 at Texas, France was asked if NASCAR had plans to levy a fine against the driver.

“No, we’re not,” France said adding “because that’s the beauty of NASCAR. We do allow the drivers to express themselves in that way even if they say things that we would disagree with. Certainly, i disagree with everything he said but we have the most intense racing in the world and it’s not surprising that, every once in a while when things don’t go your way, you just, sort of, blow off a little steam.”

Following the Texas event, Keselowski was angry over the fact that his car, and the car driven by team mate Joey Logano, failed pre race inspection. The rear end housing of both cars were confiscated and had to be replaced. Keselowski’s #2 Penske Racing Ford barely arrived in time at the starting grid before the race. Logano’s #22 Ford had just exited the inspection station when the command to start engines was announced. He had to move to the back of the starting grid. Logano rallied to a fifth place finish while Keselowski finished ninth.

After the race Keselowski, with video and audio equipment in front of him, addressed the media and accused NASCAR officials of specifically targeting his team over the last seven days and called it “absolute bulls**t.” He also said: “there’s so much stuff going on- you have no f***ing idea what’s going on. There’s nobody, no team in this garage, with the integrity of the #2 team and the way we’ve been treated over the last seven days is shameful.”

In the past, a tirade of that nature could easily fall under NASCAR’s rule known as “actions detrimental to the sport of stock car racing” and it was often followed by some form of official sanctions. A recent case in point occurred back on March 3d following the Sprint Cup race at the Phoenix International Raceway. That’s when driver Denny Hamlin openly criticized NASCAR’s new Generation Six race car by saying the teams were struggling with the new car’s aero balance making it difficult to pass another car. Hamlin also claimed that the new car wasn’t as good as the Generation Five, or Car Of Tomorrow, model.

Compared to Keselowski’s anger tinged comments, loaded with language issues, the Hamlin observations were low key and even presented in a rather respectable manner. Somehow Hamlin received a $25,000 fine for his actions detrimental to the sport while Keselowski is apparently receiving a free pass.

A lot of NASCAR observers are wondering why that is. So was McDowell who approached that topic with Brian France during the FoxB interview. “The line that we draw is: you can’t criticize the racing product,” France said adding “you can criticize our decisions, you can criticize everything else which is more than any other sport might allow. Just don’t go and talk about our racing product not being the best in the world because it is.”

So, what have we learned here? Criticize the new race car and you better be prepared to write a check that reads “pay to the order of NASCAR.” All other topics are seemingly fair game and open to criticism. You can even spice up your opinion with some dramatic “F-bombs.”

Sometimes NASCAR’s sense of justice is a little complicated.