The Xfinity Series race at Martinsville on Saturday was an embarrassing affair for all of NASCAR. Drivers lost every sense of ethics and purposefully crashed against each other throughout the event like spoiled brats on a playground. Cup Series veteran Denny Hamlin came out on Actions Detrimental this week and proposed a measure that the promotion must take to prevent such shame in the future.
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Black flags are waved during races against a particular driver when he commits an on-track offense, and officials need to talk to him. He must leave the track and return to the pit immediately. The infraction will be discussed, and penalties, if any, will be levied. Hamlin suggests that this flag be used far more prevalently than it is being done now.
He said, “I don’t understand what’s so hard about making the call because even in the CARS Tour races they have it, right? You spin someone out, and it looks like you could have not done that, they’ll put you in the back.”
“That is the one thing that will keep you from just cleaning someone out.” But the rules become more hazy and loose in the higher tiers of racing to a level that Hamlin finds interesting.
He continued, “Even in our local short tracks, they implement the Black Flag for reasons… and we have that flag for a reason. It’s my opinion we need to use it in egregious situations.” The black flag would have been out for most of the race if officials had gone by Hamlin’s words. But perhaps that’s what will keep the youngsters in check. Financial penalties are clearly not working.
The inefficacy of financial penalties for track offenses
The prize money issued in the Xfinity Series is a tiny fraction of what is rewarded for the Cup Series. This forces team owners to sign drivers who come from money. Talent does matter, but so does a driver’s ability to put a fat wad of cash on the table. The art of putting together a car and bringing it to race has long been lost. What this means is that drivers could care less about not damaging their rides.
They always have their backs covered. Either their family is going to pay for it, or the team owner or a sponsor is. They drive without any accountability. Nobody tells the rich kids to respect their cars and equipment when they are young drivers. This is what leads to situations like the one on Saturday. When financial setbacks don’t matter, how else could a driver be punished?
By making his efforts towards reaching victory lane, regardless of the cost obsolete. And that’s what Hamlin proposed. It remains to be seen how NASCAR deals with the issue at hand.
