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View from the soapbox
Posted
at
8:53 am
by Scott Whitmore
Associated Press writer Jenna Fryer says NASCAR would like to have its very own Danica Patrick or Ashley Force (CLICK HERE).
There is no question it’s hard to break into NASCAR’s top ranks. After all, there are less than 50 Cup seats out there. But to some degree the system in place today is working against the promotion of drivers — female and male.
Because, you see, being talented is only part of the equation. Money and connections, that’s what you need today.
NASCAR has its Drive for Diversity Program (D4D), and there are three female drivers currently in it. But what they don’t tell you is that the D4D will only partially offset the staggering cost of getting a seat in a developmental series like the Camping World West or East Series.
How much? Upwards of $200,000 for drivers who get into D4D … much, much more for those who don’t. That’s money the driver brings to the team, in cash or sponsorship.
Fryer points out that Denny Hamlin’s family mortgaged everything and nearly went broke in the process of waiting for him to hit the big-time.
As for connections, you just have to look as far as the only woman currently racing in one of NASCAR’s top 3 series: Chrissy Wallace.
Wallace, as in Rusty, Kenny, Steve and Mike.
Chrissy Wallace has proven herself a winner at every level she’s raced at — and I thought she did a great job in her Truck debut at the ‘Clip — but how many more good, talented women are out there in the hinterlands racing at local tracks and winning but without the family connections?
I’m betting more than a few.
NASCAR is, in my humble opinion, being very short-sighted.
What would college sports be like if schools required potential star players to pay part of their own scholarships? True, not every player gets a scholarship, but at least they’re getting — in theory at least — an education that will help them find future employment in the process.
Paying $200,000 or more to race, on the slim hope that you will be the next Joey Logano, is quite a gamble. And if you fail, you may have learned enough to dominate your local track or regional series, but beyond that ….?
NASCAR knows there will always be drivers who buy into that thinking. Because let’s face it, all racers think — know — they’re the next Big Thing. Fail? Are you kidding? Give me the right car and I’ll drive it like I stole it, right to Daytona and ‘Dega. Right?
Chief Exec Brian France has said, including to me in an interview, how important grass-roots racing is to NASCAR, but outside of the D4D it’s up to the racing teams to scout for talent.
So, what’s my solution? What would I do if I was President NASCAR for a day?
I’d like to see the playing field level somewhat. I’d like to see NASCAR support local drivers more — male and female — by holding regional or national “combines” much like the NFL does before its draft.
Allow local tracks to pick six or seven drivers with talent and have NASCAR pay for their travel and accommodations. Any other interested drivers can pay their own way.
Let these drivers meet with racing teams, talk to driving coaches, test drive using quality cars on a Cup-level track, and sit in on lectures about what it takes — on and off the track — to compete at the highest levels.
And, I’d like to see NASCAR fund “scholarships” for each team to sign a set number, say three or four, developmental drivers. Maybe have different degrees of funding for drivers competing at the local, regional or Camping World levels.
Scholarships could be tied into the D4D program, too, by giving additional money or incentives to teams to sign up drivers who qualify.
Would it cost NASCAR a bunch of money in the short run? Sure would. But any business person today can tell you spending money wisely usually makes money.
Is there a crisis right now? Maybe, maybe not. NASCAR can rightly point to Chrissy Wallace and the D4D and say it’s working on improving diversity in its ranks. But its NASCAR's 60th year and the number of minority drivers to race in the top 3 series is probably still in single digits.
And looking at “right now” is a mistake. Any organization that wants to be around for the long term needs to be looking ahead.
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