Times have changed for 'Young Guns'

Today it's very popular for people to say they are doing something "for the children."

	Gaylen Duskey

As a matter of fact this idea of doing things for younger people -- that youth is to be served -- is quite popular now and is a fashionable thing to say and do.

That's why when somebody gets his or her hackles up a bit over this glorification of youth it becomes a big story.

Such is the case with veteran NASCAR driver Ricky Rudd who had the temerity to suggest that NASCAR was promoting the "young guns" to the detriment of other, more veteran drivers.

He may have a point since coverage of this past weekend's Coca-Cola Family 600 was geared to the "young guns" of the sport.

When Mark Martin, a grizzled veteran, passed Jimmie Johnson and then held off Matt Kenseth to get the win, stories weren't so much about Martin winning as they were about why the "young guns" didn't win. Johnson, a rookie, had "dominated" and had blown the race the story lines went.

Other story lines were about how Kenseth, the 2000 Rookie of the Year, made his charge but was unable to make the final pass for the win. Very few story lines were about Martin, who ended a 73-race drought.

So Rudd may have a point.

But there are an inordinate number of young drivers in the Winston Cup Series now and they are demanding attention.

Johnson, for instance, is fifth in the points race. Others, such as Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Kevin Harvick also are carrying the "young guns" banner high.

Some, such as Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon, fit into the "tweener" category, in that they are too old to be called "young guns" but not even close to the grizzled veteran age.

But is this "young guns" thing anything new or are the young drivers simply being treated differently -- by NASCAR and the media -- than they were years ago? In other words, years ago were rookies treated with little respect while today they are treated with reverence?

Could be.

Half a decade ago, Stewart was called brash.

And before that, Gordon was looked upon with disdain.

And prior to Gordon and Stewart's arrival, people like Davey Allison, Rudd, Rusty Wallace and Martin were merely tolerated, not celebrated.

Before that, Dale Earnhardt was viewed with suspicion as he banged his way to the top and even before that, Darrell Waltrip, beloved Ol' DW, was called "Jaws" and it was not in a complimentary manner either. Waltrip's crime? He was good and he wanted to be seen and heard. Young NASCAR drivers just didn't do that two decades ago.

You had to drive on the circuit for a good while before the veterans accepted you.

Even Richard Petty, the winningest driver in Winston Cup history, had more than his share of bumps and bruises.

As a matter of fact, it appeared that he had won his first race in his very first start when someone filed an appeal, which cost him the victory.

Who had filed the appeal?

His father.

Lee Petty filed the appeal that kept young Richard from his first win. Now that shows just how much respect young guys were treated with back then. Times sure have changed.

Gaylen Duskey's column appears every Wednesday and typically addresses the historical side of NASCAR. The opinions listed here are those solely of the writer.