I’m not at all saying, “He can afford it, so what’s the problem?” but I do think Smith gained valuable data from a good, strong pass and with one more qualifying session to go and a relatively soft bump spot, it seemed practically certain he would get in the show with his last attempt. Besides, he didn’t seem to care that Leggett spent a lot of money to be there, too, but now was getting screwed through absolutely no fault of his own—something Smith definitely couldn’t claim for himself.
Smith also mentioned he had done an appearance with his car at a local eatery on Thursday night before the race, implying he should’ve received special consideration for that alone. But while certainly commendable and beneficial to the series, race operations simply can’t be influenced by who helps out and who doesn’t. How many other racers might be willing to do a display here and there if it’ll buy them a favorable decision someday? Talk about the proverbial slippery slope!
Anyway, Nowling, who reportedly was practically dragged off the track just in time, was none too pleased with his starter’s decision to allow Smith’s run. But again, as in Schumacher’s case, it smacked of a big-name racer using his clout to intimidate a starter and just plain shouldn’t have happened. Some (including, initially, your humble scribe) suggested Nowling should’ve backed his starter’s decision, regardless of the “legalities,” and just lived with the result.
Nowling countered, correctly, I now believe, that would’ve just led to many, many more racers being upset, feeling betrayed, and throwing the integrity of the ADRL into question. He weighed the betterment of the sport over his support for trackside officials and ultimately had to demonstrate the guts of a leader.
And you’d be hard pressed to find an ADRL competitor who feels Nowling was wrong in disallowing the pass. More than one pointed out to me that Smith would be among the first to complain if another racer did what he did on the line. No matter whether ADRL has it written down anywhere, they all know the rules, they all know Smith knows the rules, and they all want the rules to apply equally to everyone.
Still, the departure of Smith and two popular cars from the program certainly doesn’t warrant a suspension. After all, as Nowling said while Smith was still packing his trailer, “I can’t prevent him from leaving. I don’t want him to go, but he’s obviously free to race where and when he wants.”
No, the suspendable offence came much later in an ugly scene in the track tower when Smith crossed well beyond the boundaries of good taste with Nowling. In a “Yo’ mama wears Army boots”-type moment multiplied many times over, Nowling had to stand up to one of his favorite racers and make the gutsy call for a suspension and fine in response to actions detrimental to the sport.
“Mr. Smith will be suspended from ADRL competition for the remainder of the 2007 season and will forfeit all his points,” Nowling stated later that night. “It’s a tough, nasty situation for me to be in personally and professionally and I hope at the end of the 2007 season we can put it all behind us.”
I have to think this incident snowballed far more quickly than either party intended. Smith’s indignation and anger just seemed so out of proportion to having a single qualifying run tossed out. I could even understand his reaction better if it had been a last-chance shot, but with another round to go it just appeared excessive. And I know Smith regrets at least some of what he said to Nowling, but some things are not easily taken back with an apology.
Likewise, I know Nowling wishes things hadn’t escalated as they did. I suspect the most diplomatic language wasn’t always used in the heat of the moment and he bears at least some responsibility for the blow-up. As your mother no doubt said, sometimes it’s not what you say, but how you say it that causes the problem.
Regardless, Nowling now has a taste of what Bill France Jr. had to do so many times over the years without regard for hurt feelings or severed ties, so long as it was for the betterment of the sport. The true challenge, however, lies not in making the tough decisions, but in having the guts to stand by them and making them work. If Nowling can consistently do that for the ADRL, maybe Rickie Smith or someone just like him will be singing his praises many years from now.
