Saturday night at Texas Motor Speedway, you will hear cheering for Kyle, Jimmie, Jeff, Mark and even a Junior — names that roll off the tongue of NASCAR fans everywhere.
You won’t be treated to Kimi. Although, that may be coming soon.
Sounds more like a piece of fruit than a racecar driver. No, wait, that is Kiwi. Anyway, it definitely isn’t the name of a driver you picture fans chanting across the south, which still has the largest concentration of NASCAR diehards.
But the unconventional, or the fact that Kimi Raikkonen is from the NASCAR-rich hub of Finland, won’t stop him from making his national series debut, driving for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) in the Camping World Truck Series event at Charlotte May 20.
Whatever the case, Mr. Räikkönen and NASCAR is a mix that doesn’t make sense.
Räikkönen being able to put both feet in the NASCAR pool shows how this sport has changed. It’s also part of the reason that the United States’ most popular series has lost touch with its fan base and seen its popularity plummet of late.
It’s no longer about talent, carving out good results. It’s about the dollars you bring to the table and how much you can offer a team monetarily.
Credit Kyle Busch for falling into a pit of money, because that is the only reason Raikkonen is able to buy his way into this series.
Busch needs sponsorship dollars for KBM, and what better way to turn the bottom line in your favor than to find a driver that brings bags of money?
This ride wasn’t earned. It was bought, a sad truth and reality that has faced NASCAR racing in the last 10 years.
It’s how drivers advance. Not by accomplishments, but more through the wallet. It’s also how drivers like Elliott Sadler kept a ride in the Sprint Cup Series so long. Really, do you think he would have been with the No. 38 team if not for the M&M/Mars tag?
Isn’t it ironic that when Sadler’s deal with the candy conglomerate was up, he went and those multi-colored milk chocolates stayed?
Hey, we get it. We don’t like the economics of the sport, but we accept them. It’s just the way it is in the racing world.
But fans don’t get it, and shouldn’t.
Look at the influx of foreigners who suddenly want to be part of the fold. Those trying to sell Raikkonen in the same cloth as Juan Pablo Montoya are off the mark. They are totally different scenarios.
Montoya was already part of Chip Ganassi Racing. He spent time in the Indy Racing League and won its premier event, the Indy 500. Where Räikkönen is a newbie, Montoya was already an established North American entity.
And how is that dominant foreign influence helping IRL? It’s not. Instead, it has hurt the popularity in the eyes of race fans who want to see American drivers prosper. Hurting your status and reputation is something NASCAR can’t afford.
We’re not saying Räikkönen isn’t an unbelievable talent; he is. The Finnish standout is young, good-looking and can drive anything with four wheels and probably anything with two or one. Problem is, fans will have trouble identifying with him.
No doubt, there is a group of dignitaries in the NASCAR head office that are grinning ear-to-ear with glee over Räikkönen’s arrival — another chance to further NASCAR’s reach.
But in reality, this move can only benefit Raikkonen’s global appeal and KBM, who is already looking to start a full-time Nationwide team, most likely on their new star’s dime.
As for NASCAR, it can do more harm than good by sending the wrong message to fans and other drivers looking to make their mark the old fashioned way: through hard work.
So far, the racing has been pretty good this season. Crowds are up, allegedly, and television ratings are better than a year ago. There has even been a spark of excitement.
There have been plenty of positives already this season. This, unfortunately, isn’t one of them
Source: pennlive.com
