Several NASCAR fans were arrested after ugly scenes at Talladega. A group of Dale Earnhardt Jnr fans showered the track with beer cans after the hated Jeff Gordon won the race, surpassing the late Earnhardt Snr’s victory tally.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, Gordon had earlier implored the fans to behave – and even he set the bar pretty low, urging them only to throw toilet roll on the circuit.
Its not as if this is a first for NASCAR – the same thing happened in 2004 when Gordon won.
A more responsible series organiser might have used CCTV to identify the troublemakers, as happens with European football clubs, but NASCAR chose not to do that. Perhaps they should in the future.
Grandprix.com – Here and there
Autosport.com – Drivers unhappy at fans’ antics
chunter
30th April 2007, 22:04
Never thought I’d see a Nascar run here, but I suppose it’s comparable to the odd football violence story run in the US.
A person of the more Southern persuasion told me that the toilet paper quote came from Earnhardt, Jr as a kind of tongue-in-cheek.
The bigger news in Nascar, for me, is that Tony Stewart came out and explained in plain words the reason why I don’t like Nascar: They alter and abuse the rules in the interest of creating an entertainment product, as this is considered to be more important to Nascar than creating a fair and relevant competition.
A part of me secretly hopes Stewart loses his ride so that he’ll test in a Formula or go to Indy or Champcar.
Keith Collantine
1st May 2007, 14:10
Yep I will be doing some stuff on NASCAR from now on. Thought Stewart’s comments were very honest and revealing.