Should NASCAR force drivers to retire?

Q: Do you feel there should be a mandatory retirement age for racing in NASCAR? How about other sanctioning bodies? — Betty J., North Carolina

A: No, Betty, I don’t. If there had been a mandatory retirement age, we might have missed some great years from drivers like Harry Gant (NASCAR), Paul Newman (road racing) and Eddie Hill (drag racing). There are thousands of others, too, who would have had to hang it up if this type of rule were in place. In a sport where talent is not based on age, let the chips fall where they may.

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Q: I read with interest your answer to the person who wrote about Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s 25-point fine for cursing. You sounded like a politician running for office and didn’t want to step on NASCAR’s toes. Get to it, and let’s hear it straight. — H.M., Ohio

A: Well, H.M., I guess I can’t argue with you on that one, as I’ve heard this same comment from other people, too. However, it’s not a matter of being scared to step on NASCAR’s toes. It truly is a difficult situation, especially when Junior is in the midst of a run for the Nextel Cup and at this writing, only 24 points behind Kurt Busch. (He would be one point ahead if the point penalty was not enforced).

Additionally, Junior lost his appeal, so the penalty stands. NASCAR also had to hold its ground and not show “favoritism,” as two other drivers have been fined in similar fashion.

Here’s what I recommend: At the end of each race, why not implement victory lane proceedings similar to Formula One, where the top three finishers go to the podium. All could be interviewed, but the media would have to wait until the driver gets to the victory interview area before sticking that microphone in his face.

As for penalties, I’ll stick with my original answer. Hit a driver in the pocketbook big time, like $100,000 instead of $10,000. My problem with the point deduction is that you never see anything like that in sports, i.e., taking three points away from the Washington Redskins or two runs from the Boston Red Sox for a similar infraction after the game ends. It would never happen.

NASCAR has to study the negative effect that continuing to deduct points for this type of infraction could have on a future Nextel Cup champion (or near champ!). It is not right to penalize a whole team’s chances at winning the Cup because the driver made a mistake on a microphone.

Now, to make this more complicated, I do feel points should be deducted when “cheating” is found and exposed. If a team is found with illegal parts, then I feel point deduction is acceptable.

How’s that to make you even more confused?

Thanks for the question. And don’t worry, I’ll never throw my hat in the ring under any circumstance.