NASCAR Nation is embracing it’s inner bad boy again.
In the “boys-have-at-it” era, individual personalities are finally seeping back into the sports’ landscape -- and it’s long overdue.
Leading that charge is the Richard Childress camp. It's an organization reminiscent of the Oakland Raiders of the 1970’s and '80’s , steeped in championship tradition with a reputation for intimidation.
The same dominant black-and-silver color scheme that enhanced the Raiders threatening appearance became intertwined in the fabric of RCR during the last three of its four decades, primarily on its flagship No. 3 Chevrolet which became the No. 29 after Dale Earnhardt’s death.
On Sunday, though sporting the black and blue of sponsor Okuma on the No. 29 Chevrolet, Kevin Harvick appeared to channel Earnhardt at Pocono Raceway.
Still under probation for a May 7 altercation with Kyle Busch at Darlington Raceway, Harvick, Childress’ alpha driver, goaded the driver of the No. 18 Toyota in the opening laps of the 5-hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway. Probation be damned, Harvick tested the limitations of NASCAR’s penance by chasing and tagging Busch in the early laps of the 5-hour Energy 500.
Both drivers remain under probation until Wednesday, but this was the last opportunity for Harvick to remind Busch that revenge loomed. The officials in the tower finally stepped in and Harvick backed off. But the message had been delivered.
"It's all a free game now,” Harvick said after the race. “Probation's over."
But the feud between Richard Childress Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing is far from over. Last week’s $150,000 fine of Childress after he allegedly assaulted Busch in the Truck garage at Kansas Speedway on June 4 only exacerbated the tension.
More importantly, however, the latest incidents have brought the Childress racers closer together.
That can’t be said for Gibbs.
Despite Denny Hamlin leading 76 laps at Pocono, a track where he had won two of the last three races prior to Sunday, the No. 11 team could not close the deal. Hamlin made contact with David Ragan in the closing stages, cut a tire and could not recover. Joey Logano finished an admirable 11th but remains on the hot seat under pressure from Home Depot to perform against rival Lowe’s, which sponsors five-time champion Jimmie Johnson. Sitting outside the top 20 in the points standings can’t be an enticement for the home-improvement sponsor when the No. 48 keeps winning titles.
Then there’s Busch. At 26, he’s been remarkably resilient in spite of all the drama. Before the team was busted in postrace inspection for the left front end of the car being too low Sunday night, Busch had battled back from the Harvick hazing to finish third. Harvick’s head games had more of an effect on Busch’s crew chief Dave Rogers who warned the driver to keep his composure because “"I've lost mine about four times already."
Busch has maintained a civil public persona despite a rash of personal concerns. There’s the responsibility of his own Camping World Truck Series team, a hefty speeding ticket stemming from driving 128 mph in a 45 mph zone and a sponsor that could use a more kid-friendly front man to sell chocolate than the racer who was beginning to win fans over with his “Rowdy” demeanor. While Busch has lost some of his brashness, it hasn’t diminished his on-track performance.
But Busch has to be careful because NASCAR fans can distinguish between genuine drivers and those attempting to appease sponsors when it becomes necessary. And that’s a slippery slope.
And by NASCAR acknowledging after Sunday’s race that the incident between Harvick and Busch was “just racing” and that it found no malicious intent, it’s apparent that boys have at it will be alive and well for a long time.
Right now, fans are clamoring for true passion in their athletes. They want personalities. That’s why Childress was embraced by racing enthusiasts following the Busch incident. It would be hard-pressed to find an owner with RC’s desire and commitment. He’s still a racer at heart, who defended his men to the finish -- and with a little of cowboy mentality to boot.
No wonder the 65-year-old owner was still receiving high-fives and accolades from his peers last weekend. Childress know how to keep it real -- and always will.
