The Fine Line of NASCAR Drivers’ Personal Lives and Where It All Went Wrong

Did you notice? … The taboo subject of an athlete’s personal life? The subject was discussed Sunday evening after Cody Ware went dark on Twitter following an accident involving another Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series underdog Matt Di Benedetto.

The goal here is not to delve into what was said or even to find out if it was true. That’s if this entirely public back-and-forth in the age of social media should be everyone’s business in the first place.

Covering the sport for 11 years, you learn a lot about the personal lives of drivers and owners. Much of this information is unofficial and, in my opinion, has little or no news value. But I remember vividly one of my first weeks roaming the garage in the summer of 2006. Jeremy Mayfield’s Dodge drove past me in Gasoline Alley in Indianapolis and I remarked to a fellow reporter how he had raced that season.

“Well, you know its owner is sleeping with one of the drivers, right?”

My jaw dropped. That owner was Ray Evernham and the reporter insinuated that he had a relationship with development driver Erin Crocker. He went on to explain that many people in the media center “knew about it”, but no one would dare talk about it.

My beginner’s curiosity was quickly piqued. It didn’t take long until five, six, seven people all told me the same story. At the time it seemed different as someone’s personal belongings; it felt like a story that, if true, could impact an entire racing team. But in the end, I joined the others in not reporting the rumor about their relationship.

This was not made public until Mayfield himself, rather than a reporter, spoke out shortly after his release from the team later that year. In filing a lawsuit against his former employer, Mayfield insinuated that his car’s performance suffered because of “Evernham’s close personal relationship with a female driver he employs.”

Even then, the relationship was never confirmed on file until almost a year later. Why this media hesitation in situations like these? I think this raises a question of sourcing, ethics and basic human decency.

It is of course almost impossible for this type of story to have confessions and direct quotes. This makes supply difficult, if not impossible; you feel that the final product becomes more American weekly than any type of detailed investigation.

But the real fire you’re playing with is someone’s personal life. Is it the role of a sports journalist to delve into a subject that has nothing to do with a driver’s performance on the track? We are not journalists for National investigator. It’s not our job, I would say, to follow someone from their stock car into the bushes behind their house.

We are all human beings too. There is awareness of the role we play the second news like this is reported nationally. You’re not just hurting one person with this kind of story. You’re hurting multiple families, a long list of people who end up becoming innocent victims in this whole mess with information that you better be sure is factually accurate.

This empathy, as we have seen, can be diminished these days behind a computer screen and a Twitter account. Social media in general makes it easier to say things you might not say in a face-to-face confrontation. It also creates a permanent record, increasing the curiosity and interest of fans who follow them to know the truth.

Ultimately, it’s the fans who have a say in determining what’s a story and what’s not. If you’re not reading us (and Analytics tells us if you’re not), what we write is, in some ways, irrelevant. So I’ll let you answer the question, which we’ve been faced with on several occasions. Front stretch. Should someone’s personal affairs be fair game once an accusation has been made? Does this have any news value or interest to you…and more importantly, should he?

Did you notice? … That the chances are slim that an outside driver watching wins at Richmond? As I wrote yesterday, no one has done it since Jeremy Mayfield clinched a spot with a victory in the inaugural year of the 2004 NASCAR Chase.

That means it’s one last chance to take a look at the drivers who are unlikely to achieve their title goal. Let’s take a quick look at how it all played out for them before the Chicagoland bluster made them an afterthought for much of the rest of this year.

Joey Logano

When everything seemed to be going well: A win after Richmond left Logano fourth in points, appeared to clinch a playoff spot and wrapped up a phenomenal eight top-six finishes in the first nine races of the year.

Where it all went wrong: Four days later, NASCAR called the victory “embarrassed” due to a problem with the rear suspension. Team Penske never fought, crew chief Todd Gordon was suspended two races, and the team has been virtually invisible since. Logano just three since then he has finished in the top 10 and led only 17 laps.

Why it’s big: Logano has won 14 races over the past three seasons, tied with Jimmie Johnson for the most in the Cup Series and had been a perennial title contender with Team Penske.

Is there any chance?? Logano won at this track in the spring. But the team has been so far from the goal, for so long, that the odds seem better on paper than in reality.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

When everything seemed to be going well: Have they already done it? OK, I guess after a fifth place finish at Texas in April, Earnhardt was 20th in the standings. People felt like he was just starting to come to his senses after more than six months out of the race car.

Where it all went wrong: The runner-up Earnhardt was swept away in a Daytona 500 wreck that was not his fault. This marked the start of a streak of seven retirements, the most for him since 2007 and tied for the second-most of his career. Bad luck unbalanced this team and when did they finish the race? The speed was never there.

Why it’s big: The most popular driver in the sport. Retired at the end of 2017. Never won a championship. He came back this year For a chance at a title. Can you still blow up this balloon?

Is there any chance?? Earnhardt has three career wins at Richmond, but he ran 30th there in the spring and planned to have lunch.

Clint Bowyer

When everything seemed to be going well: Back-to-back second-place finishes, at Sonoma and Daytona, left Bowyer 15th on the playoff grid and knocking on the door of Victory Lane.

Where it all went wrong: A late-race accident at Indianapolis took away a potential top 10 and valuable points. A few moments later, Kasey Kahne pulled off the surprise and reduced the grid places for the winless drivers. Without this win, Bowyer would be in playoff position.

Why it’s big: Bowyer struggled to secure sponsorship in his first year replacing Tony Stewart. No wins and no playoff runs don’t help a driver entering a contract year in 2018. Keep in mind that Stewart-Haas Racing has several cars that would need money if Monster Energy left the team.

Is there any chance?? Bowyer would love to find closure on this track four years after Spingate sent his career into freefall. But since that famous race in September 2013, he has not led a single lap.

Erik Jones/Daniel Suarez

When everything seemed to be going well: Does it really seem good when you’re a rookie? The pressure of visiting the slopes for the first time made their seasons completely unpredictable.

Where things went wrong: Slow start for both men. Jones had three wrecks in the first 10 races, dropping him to 19th in points. Suarez started with three points of 20th or worse. It was just enough of a hole for drivers still learning the ropes of the Cup Series

Why it’s big: Many thought, in the wake of Chase Elliott If successful in 2016, we would have a rookie in the playoffs for the second year in a row. But despite another outstanding freshman class, it appears the title bid will fall far short.

Is there any chance?? Jones is on fire, earning five straight top-10 finishes. But he went four rounds at Richmond this spring. As for Suarez? He’s more concerned about Subway dropping its sponsorship than getting it on the right track.

Did you notice? … A few quick strokes before taking off….

• SD Grady had an outstanding article that I agree with in our Frontstretch Newsletter about Suarez. For a company to be nitpicking a contract like that, with only one race remaining on their contract, that tells me they wanted out of NASCAR. You don’t see Subway considering another team for 2018, do you?
• Along the same lines, it is important for a team to announce soon that a new the sponsor actually enters the sport next season. Where is this big company lined up to replace Target at #42? What about Erik Jones‘ sponsors on No. 20? I don’t doubt their existence. I just think the sport could benefit from some positive financial news right now.
• If Richard Petty Motorsports is leaving its 80,000 square foot shop because the organization doesn’t need the room, it seems like there’s no need to worry about a second team, right? isn’t it? So who will it be? Aric Almirola Or Darrell Wallace Jr. for next season? If I were Almirola, the longer this goes on, the more worried I am.
• A 1.7 Nielsen rating overnight for Darlington after such positive feedback on Throwback Weekend must have been discouraging for NASCAR. It also shows you the difference between coverage on NBC (2.6 last year) and the move to cable and NBCSN. I also think that with the first week of college football, the promotion of the sport seemed lost in the shuffle. If I had the choice between Bristol or Darlington on TV I would go for Darlington as it is important to keep the sport as visible as possible with the football season starting. You don’t want people running around to find your product.