(The article below is a RaceDayCT column – The views expressed in this column are solely the opinion of the writer)
Not something I typically do here, but figured I’d throw this out there.
There’s been a lot of good dialogue concerning the column published here early Sunday morning examining NASCAR’s decision to run the Whelen Modified Tour Nu-Way 150 Saturday on a wet track at Lancaster Motorplex.
I’ve had quite a few people comment on social media or message me directly essentially saying, nothing really that bad happened so it should not have been the subject of the column I wrote.
And again, I’ve never done this before, but I’m going to respond to that here by what you could deem an addendum to the column: Weeping: NASCAR Looks All Wet After Ugly Whelen Modified Tour Event At Lancaster
The Whelen Modified Tour is not a series that runs on wet race tracks. Asking teams to navigate around wet conditions or standing water under green flag conditions should not be an option for this series. Not ever.
Those saying, “Well, nothing bad happened” only serve to make it easier to make the decision to do it again next time, maybe even when the conditions are worse. And then when the outcome is somebody getting hurt or killed, then everyone will say, “Yeah, maybe it wasn’t a great idea to ask drivers on slick tires to navigate around standing water at speed.”
One single car wrecking – directly or indirectly because of the wet conditions – was too many because, again, this is not a series that competes on wet tracks and the teams and drivers should never be asked to do it.
I’ve had people tell me I blew this situation out of proportion, made a mountain out of molehill or even called me a whiner looking for a reason to complain about anything. Yes, it’s certainly very easy to say: “Nothing bad happened at Lancaster, so why fret about what took place?” But remember, you can’t take back someone getting severely injured. You can’t take back someone dying.
Racing is inherently dangerous. It’s a mantra of the sport. But, you still can control certain variables to make it as safe as you can make it. Making the very hard decsision to postpone an event is controlling a variable series management has all the power to control. A series that doesn’t race in wet conditions being asked or told to race in wet conditions is daring that very controllable variable to bite you, possibly very tragically.
Shawn, although I did not see the race, I completely agree with you. There is no good reason to push the envelope past the point of no return, and to me that is exactly what slicks on a wet track are doing. Weepers are the unwanted gift that keeps on giving. You can have a seemingly dry track, and only a few laps of race cars on a track on top of rain-soaked ground will force water to the surface. I’ve even seen it happen on a sunny day after a nighttime heavy rain. The track surface just heating up from the sunshine in summer will cause the underground rainwater to percolate, just like a pot boiling over, without a car on it. I’ve also seen this situation turn very expensive race cares into mangled pieces of junk. Fortunately, I don’t believe I’ve seen any serious injuries from it, and I damned sure don’t want to! Yes, it sucks for everyone to have to reschedule but I’d much rather see that rather that wrecked race cars and injuries. Safety needs to be the most important consideration no matter what the circumstances! Racing is dangerous enough in perfect conditions!
How quickly we all forget what happened at Thompson. Shame on everyone of you that said “well…nothing happened”, some of us lost a friend from racing on a track with a soaked infield. Many may not remember a few years later we returned and the grass was wet again and one driver stood his ground and returned to his hauler and loaded up and left. He chose his personal safety over racing on an unsafe race track.
Sean…Don’t always agree with some of the columns that you have “penned”. That being said I could not agree more with your most recent observation. No ones safety is worth the price of admission. In retrospect, there is always tomorrow to conduct a SAFE event. Nascar got lucky this time. Hopefully they learn from this past experience.
Well said by everyone, Asscar screwed up, they just think of the mighty dollar$ they should’ve pulled the plug on that race, my suggestion is that Asscar. (NASCAR) should retire from the sport and disappear I’m sure the tracks can run without them. It’s not like they’re helping them. They ruin the cup series. It’s not even a (stock car )anymore.
The show must go on for the sake of track owners, track crew and employees that made the trek up there to put the show on, the commitment was already made. No body could have foreseen water weeping up though the concrete pavements. Drivers had the option to pull off the track if they felt fearful of the track conditions that evening. Track conditions are never perfect at any racetrack whether it be asphalt or dirt due to the weather and time of year. STOP WHINNING ! And remember Stock Car Racing is a dangerous sport.
I’ve never felt the need to respond to anyone on this site like this before, but I can’t keep quiet on this one:
Wow, not much of a “super fan” with a comment like that! Slicks on a wet surface is very similar driving on ice. So you’re ok with a very high potential for cars wrecking and drivers getting hurt? Have you thought about racers on a dry track would be far more comfortable racing faster and making more attampts at passing, as in better racing? Sounds to me like you’re really the “super crash fan”!
Aren’t the drivers usually involved when making the call over whether the track is too wet to race on? Were they consulted before the event kicked off?
This is what I wrote on Facebook that subsequently Mr. Courchesne credited as a poke of sorts to write the addendum
“I don’t know, doesn’t seem like enough outrage from drivers to really give NASCAR a proper trashing. Kyle Bonsignor clearly distressed but the guy with the wrecked car is never the calm voice of reason in these matters.
15 cars running at the end, 13 on the lead lap. One car out from a crash the other three non crash related DNF’s. 6 of the 12 cautions by two relatively inexperienced drivers.
Everything in the opinion piece is spot on in my view and NASCAR just got lucky there weren’t more wrecked cars. Still, to have proper outrage you need more carnage and that just doesn’t seem to have been the case. Watching on FloRacing I thought the race was one of the best of the year and glad a great crowd didn’t go home empty handed.”
I’d like to think the drivers or team owners were consulted at least some of the key teams in the points race. Is it fair to assume they weren’t consulted based on NASCAR’s aloof reputation or is that a piece of information that’s missing?
Many of us have said it including the publisher of this publication. If you feel for any reason it’s not in your best interest to participate in a race, safety related or otherwise, no one is making you do it. About half the field was either not in any significant position in the current points race or not in the points race at all. Were a driver or team owner to view the conditions as particularly dangerous they could have pulled off with relatively minor loss. That would have been truly significant and I should think well respected but they all raced on.
Mr. Courchesne has said a bad decision should not be brushed aside simply because the consequences weren’t more severe and I agree completely. On the other hand to really have an impact either drivers would have had to pull off the track in protest or more physical damage to cars directly related to water to actually occur.
Frankly I don’t think it cuts it to put it all on NASCAR. These aren’t children they’re grown ass men and women that likely view themselves as rugged individualist that’s why they enjoy a dangerous sport. So be one already, show some gumption and take responsibility no one made you race.
They say no harm no foul in sports. There was harm, just not enough to spark sufficient outrage. Result, nothing will be learned going forward in my view.
Fast Eddie nailed it with his response to Super Fan.
Race cars are driven by humans. It’s sport… Everyone wants to go home to the fam every week, regardless of level. Nobody on a track crew or a single concession employee has ever been killed or injured by a postponed event.
Pushing a race onto a wet track? No so much…
Very stupid move by NASCAR. Wet asphalt and slick tires do not mix. Lucky nobody was seriously injured or killed. What were they thinking? They should pay for any damaged cars due to their stupidity. Wouldn’t be surprised if teams drop the tour. This is a call even a six year old could make “wet track, no race”
Marshall. You actually think NASCAR cares about what the drivers think. The few drivers that approached NASCAR after practice were told their was plenty of races between then and the race to get the track and racing shape. Boy were they wrong.
On Sids podcast Johnson said that there were actual puddles on the truck. That is just f$%%=g insane to let them race on a track with puddles on it.
Hillary 2024,
Talked about Johnson’s comments on a recent Quickcast: One Final Sound Off On All That Has Been Of The Lancaster Whelen Modified Tour Wet And Wild Debacle
well, since when was racing a modified on a wet track track a small thing? i think “getting out of there” is way too important to nascar. you made a very valid point, Shawn. if i owned a car i wouldn’t be real happy about tour management just running it anyway. from a fan’s point of view, why would you pay to see slow motion racing? that’s what you get on rain tires.