NASCAR adds fuel to fire of debris caution debate

After a month of less-than-thrilling races that ended with a questionable call to throw a caution for debris Saturday at Richmond International Raceway, NASCAR’s Vice President of Competition Robin Pemberton made matters worse when he antagonized fans who wanted proof that there was debris on the track.

"Sometimes, some people are a little more needy than others and they want to see that for whatever reason," Pemberton said Tuesday. "And whatever their thought process and beliefs with the governing body (are), they think they need proof.”

You’re darn right they need proof, and Tony Stewart would probably like some as well. He was cruising to victory Saturday at Richmond but NASCAR threw a debris caution with 12 laps remaining. Kyle Busch beat Stewart out of the pits and went on to get the win.

The debris, however, was never shown on television and even people at the track that night debated what caused the caution. Some said it was a water bottle in Turn 2, some said it was a beer can and still others said it was a piece of metal lying in the groove on the backstretch.

In any case, NASCAR once again had to deal with the inevitable integrity questions that follow a questionable debris caution that decides a race. Unfortunately, Pemberton came off as a high-brow official of a corporation that could care less what people think.

Yet, NASCAR always touts how it is such an open sport and provides incredible access to fans at the races.

Lately, NASCAR has not been the hospitable host. It has instead looked like a rich jerk that can and will do whatever it wants.

Although those who love the sport try to avoid these uncomfortable topics, NASCAR is permeated with that type of thinking even by those not directly employed by NASCAR.

The TV coverage runs commercials through so much of the race that sometimes it is difficult for fans to maintain interest when the action is interrupted so often. And when they aren’t running commercials, the TV crews run promotional segments or other commentary that totally overrides the action on the track.

Another example is when Bruton Smith, although not employed by NASCAR, chose to change the turns at Bristol Motor Speedway based on a vocal 40 percent who voted in his survey to change the track.

I understand that money is king and the sport has to do whatever it can to stay financially sound, but it is doing it at the expense of its fans. In fact, it has been doing so for years.

The Chase, the demise of traditional race dates at Southeastern tracks to capture larger markets and the seemingly perennial changes to the points system has driven many fans away from the sport, whether NASCAR acknowledges it or not.

If this is how NASCAR officials want to run the sport, fine. It’s their show, and they can do as they see fit. But please don’t pretend like every decision is made to benefit the fans.

In reality, many decisions are made in spite of the fans, and Pemberton may have inadvertently exposed that truth by calling those same fans “needy” because they want to watch legitimate competition.