HAMPTON, VA :: Southern National Motorsports Park and its ticket buying faithful were treated to a grand season opener. Clean side by side racing, good hard door banging racing and the dreaded getting dumped racing. Though for some race fans, watching competitors getting wrecked or dumped as we like to call it, just wouldn’t be a race without it right? Can’t say I’ll ever support that kind of thing though it does make for some really cool drama for the fans to take a side in that’s for sure. Great for race tracks too cause who wants to just hear about it right? Buy a ticket and go see for yourselves so you don’t have to hear what people like me think what happened!
Wrecks in this sport or getting wrecked is as common today as there is a winner in every race. Meaning, it’s a sure bet it’s going to happen. Avoiding them, making sound decisions and great reflexes are great attributes to any racer which will greatly improve your finish position and limit your time in the shop straightening front/rear clips right? Wouldn’t you rather be doing maintenance to your hot rod instead of replacing parts? Simply put, the case I’m trying to make here is, when is it ever enough to go out and just race hard instead of racing with a hot head, getting yours and others stuff all torn up?
Look, I haven’t forgotten that I’m a race fan first and how easy it is to get caught up in racers drama. But even for the big money, well-resourced race teams, is it worth it to get caught up in some silly rivalry that could cause you to lose any contention for a championship, especially against a racer with resources as good as you? The Deac McCaskill and Lee Pulliam feud that began in late 2013. If you thought it was big then well you should have been at Southern National last Saturday afternoon. This whole thing between the two just ballooned and with no signs it’s ever going to stop.
Various opinions will say Deac was at fault while others will say Pulliam had it coming. It goes on and on, doesn’t it? Doesn’t matter in the end for you race fans, you don’t have to fix these cars after you get off from work now do you? Just saying here, but what if McCaskill couldn’t repair his car in time for the next race? What if Pulliam and his team missed a bent or broken part causing him to be off and not as good as he was just last Saturday? What if this senseless and foolish rivalry that has begun way to early caused either driver to be in any contention for what could be a third straight National title for Pulliam and another chance at a National, State and track title for McCaskill?
Though I have a fond respect and admiration for both highly skilled competitors, I have to call them both out and ask, when is enough, going to be enough? The brake checking, the dive bombing, the three wide banzai and numerous counts of other rough driving. When is enough, going to be enough? Forget about who started it, or whose leading the score. I think this question deserves an answer but how can two really great racing talents who only a few could ever come close to your rear bumpers anyways, become involved in a rivalry that could jeopardize any chance for a championship?
But I know this much, what happened to the start of the 2014 race season at Southern National between McCaskill and Pulliam was great for the fans, great for the track, great for social media and great for local diners to gather to talk about the feud. But is it really great for McCaskill and Pulliam? I just can’t see it if it is and the funny thing is that the 2014 season race fans has just begun. So how about you race fans and supporters of McCaskill and Pulliam. When is enough, going to be enough? We would love to hear your comments on this one!
