Does race for points produce a blind spot?

Shira Springer

Sunday, July 9, 2000 | 2:16 a.m.

LOUDON, N.H. - With his crutches propped against his car, racer Terry Labonte reached down to lift his broken right leg through the driver's side window. A small grimace crossed his reddened face. Labonte gingerly lowered the rest of his body into the driver's seat, taking a few deep breaths as he settled into the No. 5 Kellogg's Chevrolet. It was time for Happy Hour, the last practice session for NASCAR Winston Cup drivers before Sunday's New England 300.

Nursing an undisplaced fracture of the right tibia, tender ribs, and sore back from a crash at Daytona last week, Labonte perservered through Happy Hour. Back oncrutches after the practice, he declared himself fit enough to last 300 laps and told his relief driver to go home. He will compete just as he practiced, without the benefit of painkillers or a protective cast. If Labonte missed the New England 300 and ended his record-setting streak of 654 consecutive races, he believes his team's chance of a top 10 points finish would be jeopardized.

In the race for points, money, sponsors and spectators, NASCAR Winston Cup drivers are willing to push the limits in a rapidly growing sport in which one mistake or mechanical failure can result in death. The fatal crash of 30-year-old Kenny Irwin Friday at New Hampshire International Speedway and the death of 19-year-old Adam Petty on the same track eight weeks earlier provided unwanted reminders of just how high the stakes can be.

"Something happened to Kenny's car and he crashed and he got killed," said driver Jimmy Spencer. "It affects all of us. We think that we're indestructible. We think that we can't get hurt. We think that we can't get killed. But we know that deep down inside of us we can get killed. Do we get paid enough for what we do with what happened to Kenny? No, we don't. But on the other side of it, we took that in our own hands. We're the competitors. We're the ones that decided to drive. Because Kenny got killed (Friday) would any one of us quit? No, I don't think so.

"It makes you reflect because it could happen to you. Are you going to quit because of it? If you have that inclination, you better quit. If you feel like you might be the next person, you better quit driving a racecar."

While acknowledging there is constant pressure to compete, Labonte called his injuries "a little setback we've just got to work through." But little always has been a relative term in a sport that exploded onto the American scene over the last decade. A sport that began on dirt tracks in the rural South now attracts crowds upwards of 100,000, including the approximately 300,000 fans who fill the Brickyard for the Indianapolis 500.

Serving as grand marshal of the Pepsi 400, presidential candidate George W. Bush said the NASCAR racing community was built around "very good Americans." In fact, more Americans turn out for NASCAR events than any other type of sports competition, earning racecar driving bragging rights as the country's No. 1 spectator sport. Currently, 2,200 NASCAR races are held at 128 tracks in 40 states. Since 1990, attendance at NASCAR events has increased 97 percent to the point where the sport attracted more than 6 million fans in 1999. Network television has seen an 11 percent increase in its ratings, while cable has seen viewer interest jump 31 percent since 1994.

But the truly impressive NASCAR numbers are preceded by dollar signs. For the 2000 season, $100 million in prize money and postseaason awards will be distributed. Last year, 38 of the top 40 drivers won more than $1 million and a record 11 won more than $2 million. Sponsors pay up to $12 million to have their logos displayed on cars. Sales in NASCAR merchandise reached more than $1 billion in 1999.

The different interests and investors NASCAR must satisfy on a daily basis may help explain how a fatal crash can occur and an event such as the New England 300 continues.

"Our procedures are to press on in cases like this," said Mike Helton, NASCAR's chief operating officer and senior vice president. "It's not because we don't have a heart or a soul. It's simply because we have a lot of responsibilities, everybody does in the garage area to a lot of different people."

The equation for NASCAR success is simple. Race fast, finish among the top competitors, attract sponsors, earn millions. The Exide batteries racing team figures that placing a company logo on a car is one of the best ways to market a product. The amount of time a car logo gets television exposure during race coverage can be worth approximately $30 million in advertising or equivalent to eight commercial hours.

"You can't find a better marketing vehicle than a racecar going around a racetrack," said Paul Mecca, director of racing for Exide. "You mention the death factor. It's been there since Day 1. If you're a fan, you accept that part of the sport. The drivers accept it. (Sponsors) accept it. It's all part of what goes on."

While Exide representatives added that the drivers place the most pressure on themselves, there is unquestionably a trickle-down effect with the sponsor's expectations falling onto the shoulders of the racer. Some companies may sponsor cars simply to take part in the NASCAR experience. But other businesses seek out top cars and expect results.

"There's more attention paid to the sport so it's a lot more high-profile," said Dale Jarrett, who drives the Quality Care Ford. "Sponsors expect more because of the dollars they're spending."

Legions of loyal NASCAR fans seem to feel they always get their money's worth. And for good reason. Being a spectator at a NASCAR event is unlike watching any other professional sport. Fans have the opportunity to visit the garage area during practice sessions. They can listen to the radio communications of their favorite team. They can walk among the different haulers and collect autographs. They can stand in the pit area on race day. Many fans believe they are on a first-name basis with their racing heroes, calling out for Jeff, Dale, and Rusty over the din of revving motors.

But the passionate fan base often wants more than access. They need action to keep their interest. Often, action translates into sensational crashes. While the fatal crashes of Irwin and Petty are tragic, dark moments for NASCAR, the deaths of two young drivers may actually strengthen the fan base.

"Some people will be attracted because they think it's more dangerous than they used to think it was," said Jeff Burton, who drives the No. 99 Exide Batteries car. "Other people will become nervous about watching people wreck. There's a lot of different fans out there. Some fans come to the race because they like action. What they consider action is cars spinning and wrecking. I don't have a problem with that, if that's what people want to watch. I just want them to understand that it is dangerous.

"Some fans don't understand that these things hit and they hit really hard and it hurts and it can do worse than just hurt you. Don't think that we don't want to race fast. Don't get on us because we say we're going too fast. Understand that we know what it's all about. The goal is to put on a good race."