NASCAR steering clear of the gray

I understand what NASCAR is doing, but I'm not sure I'm on board.

Mainstream America sports fan (yeah, he's an actual person) doesn't like the word "cheating." He stands for heads-up competition, for level playing fields, for, at the very least, the appearance of all things being equal. NASCAR has fought hard to remove the word “cheating” from the stock-car racing lexicon.

NASCAR should be applauded for that effort. But aren’t we going just a tad too far here?

There has to be a line drawn between intent and accident, particularly when it comes down to rules violations on NASCAR race cars and trucks. In the instance of Carl Edwards — whacked by what is in essence a 110-point fine this week (100 points in the standings, plus 10 points at the start of The Chase should he qualify) — it’s hard to find where there was intent. A cover left off an oil tank? On purpose? Not likely, not likely at all.

NASCAR doesn’t want to get itself involved in a sticky, messy process for determining who strayed from its rule book on purpose. Perhaps it thinks it can spend its time better elsewhere, and by adopting hard and fast policies for things that go against the integrity of the cars, they’re clearing up time and resources. But I suggest to you that it’s a multi-million dollar corporation racing with the backing of multi-million (and billion) dollar companies in front of millions of fans every week.

Everybody is owed due dilligence. NASCAR can afford both the time and money to look into these matters individually. I think they should have to.

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Kasey Kahne used the words “it’s just different” again today when asked to describe what the new Nationwide Series rules package feels like. Wow. Can’t get that kind of insight anywhere else, can you?

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Myth: Sprint Cup Series drivers run to the Cup garage after Nationwide Series practice because they’re so crunched for time.

Fact: Sprint Cup Series drivers run to the Cup garage after Nationwide Series practice because they don’t want to have to stop to sign autographs or pose for photos with fans.