Even a NASCAR 'feel good' story gets engulfed in controversy
Only in NASCAR can a sport be handed the opportunity to champion some of the things it craves most and instead it become embroiled in controversy.
Sunday’s victory by Justin Haley in the rain-delayed Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway had the makings of many typical feel-good NASCAR stories over the years.
An underdog team defies the odds against much more high-financed competition and pulls out a stunning upset victory that leaves the sport swooning its approval.
Except this time, not so much.
There are several contributing factors to the social media outrage to Haley’s win in Sunday’s rain-shortened NASCAR Cup Series race, but the predominant target appears to be the team for which Haley drives.
Where did Spire Motorsports come from?
Spire Sports + Entertainment was founded in 2010 primarily as a talent management agency and consultants in motorsports, working with drivers, sponsors and teams. It also has worked with music artists and owns part of a minor-league hockey team.
In December, the company announced it had purchased the charter from Furniture Row Racing’s No. 77 team – one of the most successful in the sport – in order to field a team in the Cup series in 2019. FRR had decided to close its doors at the end of the 2018 season.
Spire saw an opportunity, secured a loan to purchase the charter, and began fielding a fulltime Cup series team in February.
It works with another organization, Premium Motorsports, to field its entries, doesn’t have multiple new cars or engines or a large fulltime staff. It generally runs in the back of the field but typically gives younger drivers the chance to drive the car each race to gain experience.
In many respects the company represents many of the ideals fans have hoped to see in the sport, namely new ownership and more opportunities for young drivers to gain valuable experience in what have become scarce Cup series rides.
Rather than champion those ideals, many have chosen to criticize the company, accusing it of just trying to make money off its charter acquisition with no real intention of trying to become a fully-funded, top-level team.
Here is where the outrage becomes ridiculous.
Criticism unwarranted
Everyone who could put the money together had a chance to purchase the charter from Furniture Row Racing owner Barney Visser.
If the idea of a company that also represents drivers in the sport also owning a team was so appalling, why did no one else bother to try to purchase the charter for themselves?
Instead of championing the willingness of new owners to take out a large loan and invest more into a sport in which they already work, Spire Motorsports is vilified by some for taking advantage of one of the benefits the charter system was supposed to provide – encouraging new ownership investment.
And what does Spire do with its investment? More often than not, it provides young drivers who have not had the opportunity to compete in NASCAR’s top series the chance to do so. Again, something that many have claimed to be lacking in the sport in recent years.
Nobody forced Kurt Busch – or Landon Cassill’s team for that matter – to pit before Sunday’s race was scheduled to return to green-flag conditions.
Why is Spire to blame because other far more highly-funded Cup teams failed to envision an outcome in the race that Spire’s crew chief, veteran Peter Sospenzo, immediately recognized?
Daytona and Talladega races have long been championed by fans and others in the sport for the ability to produce unexpected winners – races where the underdogs have a chance against the top-level teams.
On Sunday, circumstances played out to serve up a feel-good story that could define an entire season.
It’s sad so many are finding fault in an outcome that provides evidence NASCAR is producing some of the very things they have all long desired.
Previous article
Kurt Busch derailed by 'one random lightning bolt' at Daytona
Next article
McLaughlin leaving NASCAR future in Penske's hands
About this article
| Series | NASCAR Cup |
| Event | Daytona II |
| Author | Jim Utter |
From the archive: Dale Earnhardt’s final Autosport interview
The death of Dale Earnhardt in the 2001 Daytona 500 shocked NASCAR to the core. At the Daytona 24 Hours, two weeks before his fatal accident, ‘The Intimidator’ shared his expectations of challenging for an eighth Cup title with JONATHAN INGRAM, in an article first published in the 15 February 2001 issue of Autosport magazine. Little did we know then what tragedy would unfold…
The lasting NASCAR legacy after Dale Earnhardt’s death
On February 18, 2001, seven-time NASCAR Cup champion Dale Earnhardt – the fearless ‘Intimidator’ – was in his element at Daytona International Speedway. While his own DEI team’s cars ran 1-2 towards the finish line, his famed #3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo was playing rear gunner to block any late runs from the chasing pack. As the cars tore through Turns 3 and 4 on that fateful final lap, Earnhardt maintained the strongarm tactics that encapsulated his persona… but his actions in those moments sadly proved to be his last.
Inspired by Pitbull, the “revolution” sweeping through NASCAR
The NASCAR Cup Series is changing. Whether it be the gradual morphing out the seasoned drivers of yesterday as the next generation step up, a radical calendar shake-up featuring more road courses than ever before and the prospect of an all-new car on the horizon, stock car racing’s highest level is nearing the end of a huge facelift.
The NASCAR storylines to watch out for in 2021
This weekend's Daytona 500 kickstarts a NASCAR Cup season that promises plenty of intrigue courtesy of new owners and a refreshed calendar. Here's what you need to know ahead of the new season…
Why Kyle Larson can't blow his big shot at redemption
From a disgraced NASCAR exile, Kyle Larson has been given a chance of redemption by the powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports squad. Effectively replacing seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson is no easy billing, but Larson has every intention of repaying the team's faith...
Why Roger Penske is an American motorsport icon
In this exclusive one-on-one interview, Roger Penske reveals the inner drive that has made him not only a hugely successful team owner and businessman but also the owner of Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar. He spoke to David Malsher-Lopez.
Why NASCAR's latest second-generation champion is just getting started
Chase Elliott's late charge to the 2020 NASCAR Cup title defied predictions that it would be a Kevin Harvick versus Denny Hamlin showdown. While the two veterans are showing no signs of slowing down, Elliott's triumph was a window into NASCAR's future…
Why Kyle Larson deserves his second chance in a cancel culture
“You can’t hear me? Hey n*****” Those fateful words uttered by Kyle Larson, spoken into his esports headset on April 12, were directed at his sim racing spotter – but instead they quickly became amplified around the world via social media, including his own Twitch stream.
