Nitrophoto

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Sometimes I Wonder, Why?

Wendell Scott and Darrell Wallace Jr. are linked together by many things in life, including passion, determination, history and now after this past Saturday, success.

Darrell Wallace Jr, or Bubba as many know him is 20 years old, and a gifted individual who loves to drive race cars in NASCAR. Wendell Scott was also very gifted and determined, competing in NASCAR back in the 1960’s. He took his first and only win in 1964 at the Jacksonville 200.

 Bubba Wallace this past Saturday in Martinsville, Virginia won his first ever Camping World Truck Series event, driving for another gifted and determined individual, Kyle Busch. Both Busch and Wallace drive for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Earlier this year, at the opening race for NASCAR, the Daytona 500 Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year, candidate Danica Patrick won the pole for the Great American Race. Patrick’s feat was extraordinary because not many rookies have been able to accomplish this feat in the history of NASCAR.

These feats of greatness have been and are celebrated in the national media as being special. But, why are they special?

NASCAR makes these feats special with their media and marketing departments touting the cause of diversity. Darrell Wallace Jr. is black, as was Wendell Scott. Danica Patrick is obviously female.

The national media was abuzz with headlines: Darrell Wallace Jr. makes NASCAR history with victory. (USA Today) Darrell Wallace Jr. hopes to pave way for other African-American drivers after historic win. (The Sporting News) and Darrell Wallace Jr. sets NASCAR milestone. (Al Jazeera) Yes Al Jazeera the network from Qatar.

The NASCAR marketing machine is full throttle getting this story out about Bubba Wallace and their “Drive to Diversity Program” to the media as it was when Danica won the pole at Daytona.

The problem is when it comes to motorsports as a whole and diversity, NASCAR is a day late and a dollar short.

In actuality, the NHRA is the tip of the spear when it comes to diversity, the problem is they really do not pound their chest about it, or the national media does not give it a great deal of credence.

The deal is the NHRA is so diverse it does not need a program to promote it.  Drag Racing has had female world champions Shirley Muldowney (Three times); Angelle Sampey (three times); and Jackie Alley. Latino world champions, Tony and Cruz Pedregon,( both have done it twice) and a black world champion Antron Brown.  Antron Brown won his first Top Fuel World Championship in 2012 and has two race wins in 2013.  These people were not just race winners, but winners of season long championships in both professional and sportsman categories’.

In 2008 Lewis Hamilton, won the F1 Drivers World Championship and continues to be perennial race winner on the F1 circuit.  In 2012, he took the victory at the first annual US Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas in San Antonio, Texas.

My question is this, why in 2013 if we live in a country where everybody is equal (supposedly) then why would a person’s skin color or gender even brought up when we talk about racers winning races or championships.

Why can’t we just say that Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr, took his first ever Camping World Truck Series win at Martinsville. 

 Wallace is very talented, aligned with a great organization in Joe Gibbs Racing, and is destined for greatness. This kid will be a star in NASCAR in the future.

Why quantitatively classify this by putting race into the mix?  For ratings, for hits on websites? 

I feel we need just to talk about the talent of the driver, or crew chief, or crewmember. Why do we even need to bring race or gender into the equation?  I can guaran-damn-tee  you that the race car has no clue what race, creed, sex, or religion the person is working on it, or driving it. Nor does it care. 

So neither should we.  Congratulations to Bubba Wallace Jr, racecar driver on your win at Martinsville.