Have you ever heard the one about how NASCAR staged Richard Petty’s 200th win? Or Dale Earnhardt’s 1998 Daytona 500 victory? They make up just a couple of the vast conspiracy theories that fans have formulated for decades. While the idea behind these two are simple, others are elaborate and verge on bizarre. The need to justify triumph and explain tragedy have led to a wide array of theories on some of the sports most iconic moments.
Often we here at the NASCAR Insiders receive questions and comments, laying out various theories people have. The diatribes against NASCAR feature various allegations about them fixing a race to boost ratings and foster good PR, or them giving an advantage to a certain manufacturer, for reasons even the writers are not quite sure of. There is just something about the spirit of competition and immense loyalty people have to a team or driver that drives these theories more so than in other sports. Obviously, allegations of game rigging exist around major league sports, and with the over year long saga of Tim Donaghy in the NBA the theories have never flowed more freely.
This season, NASCAR has not exactly done themselves any favors in the credibility department. The constant discussion over the secrecy of the NASCAR rulebook and events many saw as deviations from said rulebook have livened claims of unfair treatment. Many claimed allowing Dale Earnhardt Jr. to pass the pace car was a violation of a rule. In fact the rule was in place to ensure drivers exiting the pits did not pass the pace car and get a lap back. After he was warned Jr. ceased doing what he was doing. Either way the inconsistencies have frustrated fans and made many consider the neutrality of the sanctioning body.
Many of the theories raised regard the life, career and death of Dale Earnhardt. Some have suggested his win at the 1998 Daytona 500 was all part of a PR, round numbers ploy. The claims I have read said because it was the 50th anniversary of NASCAR and Earnhardts 20th attempt at the iconic race, it was the perfect time for him to win. Of course anyone who recalls that race would say the competition was just as fierce that year as any other. I would venture a bet that Bobby Labonte and Jeremy Mayfield did not allow Earnhardt a pass for this particular event. Likewise, some have compiled lists of coincidental numbers regarding the legend’s death. Some breach on interesting but most are bizarre. This though, like any other death in motorsports was a tragic accident and nothing more.
The theory with perhaps the most legs (though still not many) is the theory about NASCAR fixing Richard Petty’s 200th win. The seven time champion was on the down slide of his career success after moving to drive for Curb Motorsports in 1984. The Firecracker 400 at Daytona arrived that season amidst great fanfare. President Ronald Reagan arrived at the track as the first sitting US President to attend a NASCAR Winston Cup event. His visit brought extra media attention to the sport and who better to win than the sport’s most recognizable figure, Richard Petty? The race ended under caution with Petty sprinting to the finish to win the race. The sketchy finish combined with the extraordinary circumstances left many wondering if maybe NASCAR had not assisted Petty in the win.
Whatever the case in any of these circumstances and the many others, the vast web of conspiracies and their thinkers will never cease to exist. NASCAR could operate as the most impartial, fair body and people would still question results and events. As the Internet increases the voice of people once left in the dark, certainly many more of these theories will arise. Good or bad, crazy or not, they provide an interesting aside to the sport we all enjoy so much.
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on Jul 23rd, 2008 at 8:51 am
With your title referring to “conspiracies”, I am very surprised that you have not mentioned anything about the HUGE difference in race results concerning Toyotas this year vs. last. Granted, the Toyotas did not have “first-tier” teams, but the fact was that they could not get out of their own way last year (with a few notable exceptions - which I found myself applauding, due to their “underdog” status). Many people attribute the entire difference this year to Gibbs Racing’s knowledge, expertise, professionalism, etc, etc. I must question why these traits were not so dominant last year, when they had even-par equipment with the teams that DID dominate, namely Hendrick’s. Are we to assume that if Hendrick had been the one to switch, that ALL races would have been won by Toyota this year? I don’t want to point fingers, as I have no proof, but it IS a well-known fact that Brian France is much, much more interested in gaining untold dollars for his pocket than in furthering the quality of racing in his family’s premier business venture. I can’t help but wonder if a huge sum of said greenbacks were not a substantial building block of the unprecedented success this year of Toyotas in general, and JGR in particular. Further, I am amazed that I don’t read of anyone else even daring to posit such a theory. Would they be banned from reporting on NASCAR?
on Jul 23rd, 2008 at 1:26 pm
One thing in racing that’s so different in NASCAR from other sports is the equipment factor. Sure, a corked bat will help you hit a home run, but a car is so mysterious in a way that it’s easy to attribute almost any result, or pattern of results, to unfairness there. NASCAR suffers from inconsistency, but I don’t think they look for specific outcomes.
Interestingly, most of the theories have an “equal and opposite” cousin that large numbers of people also subscribe to–NASCAR is helping Dale Jr./NASCAR is trying to keep Jr. down. And most seem to raise more questions than they answer: If NASCAR were intent on providing Toyotas with wins, why give them all to Gibbs? Why give nearly all to one driver??? Why not give any to the teams last year? How, exactly, were they able to induce Jimmie Johnson to allow Kyle by last week at Chicago? Wouldn’t it just have been easier for Jimmie to stay behind Kyle instead of passing him and waiting for a late caution??
on Aug 26th, 2008 at 12:33 am
I WONDER JUST LIKE EVER ONE ELSE HOW COME TOYOTA IS SO GOOD THIS YEAR AND NOT SO GOOD LAST YEAR?