When A Negative is a Positive

This is the Statt Mann  Baby.  Time to Scatt a little bit.

Complaints are constant when it comes to NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers dipping into Xfinity or Camping World Truck races taking opportunities, sponsorships and money from the drivers there.

Well, a similar problem came up this week in international racing and the FIA did something positive.

The governing body for racing world wide, said “No” to Nelson Piquet Jr. who wanted to race in the minor leagues of Formula 3 this weekend in France.  Twelve years ago Piquet won the Formula 3 championship.  Last year he won the Formula E championship.  And in between he raced in nearly 30 Formula 1 races.

In short, the FIA said he had too much experience for the stated goal of Formula 3 to get drivers ready for Formula 1.

I don’t agree with everything the FIA does but this is a lesson NASCAR could learn.  Preparing Xfinity drivers for the major leagues of Cup racing should be more important than whatever headlines are made by Cup drivers stealing that opportunity from less experienced drivers and teams.

Like Formula 3, XFinity or the truck series should be a ladder and not a destination or an easy pot at the end of the racing rainbow.

Peace.