Last Lap: Taking out the Talladega trash

Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the high road Sunday afternoon, expressing satisfaction with NASCAR's decision not to restart the Aaron's 499.

The call had gone against him, leaving him no other choice than to surrender victory to Jeff Gordon at Talladega Superspeedway.

Junior was the one guy with a legitimate beef and a platform to verbally set NASCAR ablaze. But instead he chose to react with maturity. Even if he did think he was ahead of Gordon when the caution flew, he played the proverbial hand dealt him with dignity.

Too bad the fans didn't follow suit.

The reactionary display of tossing debris - even glass bottles -- onto the racing surface was immature, ludicrous and extremely dangerous, and quite possibly could warrant action from authorities.

Nine years ago, fans at a New York Giants game threw iceballs at San Diego Chargers players. Fifteen people were hurt, 15 fans were arrested and 175 fans were ejected.

Fortunately, NASCAR drivers are shielded by 3,400 pounds of metal. But safety crewmen retrieving debris out on the track surface aren't. Unassuming fans aren't. Innocent children aren't.

And imagine if a full beer can smashed through your favorite driver's radiator, or glass shards punctured his tire as he coursed around under caution? If a driver can't maintain the cautious pace, he surrenders positions despite the field being "frozen."

See: Mike Bliss, Bristol Motor Speedway.

Look, I understand the desire to see a green flag finish. There is finality with that, and makes the required investment to witness the event live far more digestible. It is closure. Finishing under caution leaves a void. The "What if?" factor is maddening. I get all that.

But this is what NASCAR had to do. We always complain there is no consistency in the rulebook. For the second straight week, NASCAR stuck to its guns and followed the rulebook. It was, once again, the correct call.

Marty Smith  Email  Archive

Realigning a pack of 38 cars running bumper-to-bumper and door-to-door takes time. Cleaning the track takes time.

Brendan Gaughan and Brian Vickers have both voiced to me in recent days that they're all for longer cautions if it assures they won't hit any debris left on the track.

I think they know the time required to properly clean up a track better than any of us do.

Moreover, NASCAR stresses to drivers every Sunday morning that after a certain lap count the race will not be red flagged. At Talladega that lap is Lap 183, the same one on which Brian Vickers lost control of his Chevrolet to force the final caution.

Aaron's 499  Fans pelt track at Talladega

At that moment, everyone on pit road knew it was over. They'd had forewarning. Did you hear a single driver complain about the decision to end it? They may not have liked it, but they didn't dispute it, either.

Too bad the fans didn't follow suit. If this happens again, don't be surprised if you're not bringing your own beer into the racetrack any longer.

Were you embarrassed by the behavior of your fellow fans at the conclusion of the Aaron's 499 at Talladega?

Yes. Extremely. Appalled may be a more accurate description.

Mike0769: It is very embarrassing. I am a Jr fan. I was upset, but understand the consequences if they did a one-lap shootout. It is clearly for safety. I am not a Gordon fan, but he deserved some respect. It makes the other Jr fans look bad.

We should respect all drivers even if we don't like them. Throwing litter on the track is not going to change NASCAR's mind, but it will someday prevent us from taking stuff into the stands. Jr. didn't seem real angry about Gordon winning, he was having fun. Why can't us fans respect the drivers and have fun and walk away with a 'Well, he tried.'?

I went to the Texas race, and they wouldn't have allowed it. People don't realize that if Gordon's car got damaged it would have cost lots of money to fix it. I was truly disappointed at the Jr fans and non-Jr fans yesterday.

Mike is dead-on, here, and it's heartening to read that he's able to separate his status as a fan from the larger picture. His response essentially mirrors my thoughts on this matter. Throwing a tantrum like a frustrated seven-year old solves nothing, and can only hurt the perception of the sport.

And potentially hurt other fans, physically:

hartnbr99: I spent a large amount of money to attend the race at Talladega for the first time. It will also be my last time. I went to this race with a Jeff Gordon fan wearing a Gordon T-Shirt.

In addition to seeing the ridiculous trash flying onto the track we got covered in beer and ice and water dumped from the top of the stands as we were leaving. I don't know if any of you have been hit by flying ice and beer cans from two stories up but it hurts pretty bad. I won't ever step foot anywhere near that track again.

I'm horrified that this responder was subjected to such treatment. No one should have to experience that. And there's a bigger issue to discuss, here. Who knows how many people may have been injured in the stands, and how many more could have been? I wonder if those who littered the racetrack have pondered that in retrospect? I pray so. Maybe they'll use their brain next time.

Canadian_Man: I have no embarrassment to the actions of the fans at Dega! NASCAR needs to get these clean up crews working at a better pace! They can't have people out there thinking "Hey, it's a bigger track, so why not take our time."

I mean it's right to take your time and do the clean up completely, but you don't need to think in your head that it takes 5 laps to clean up the track at Martinsville so lets take 5 laps to clean it up at a track that is 5 times the size of it.

If the clean up crews have the ability to clean up a track in 5 laps at Martinsville then they should have the ability to clean up the track in one lap at these plate tracks.

Let's get it done and get back to what the fans are there to see and what the drivers are there to do. The fans had all the right to be mad because there could very well have been a restart in that race, and they knew it!

Jim Carrey makes a great point, one I voiced in tomorrow's Track Smack. To me, and obviously to Jim, it's unfortunate that a pre-determined lap count can determine the outcome of the race like this.

Don't get me wrong, I stand firm that NASCAR is in the right, but five laps at Talladega is more than 13 miles. Five laps at Martinsville isn't even three miles. Five laps at Charlotte is 7.5 miles.

And mere mileage doesn't even take into account the racing dynamic. Passing at Talladega is far more prevalent than it is anywhere else. There were 54 lead changes Sunday. Obviously, the outcome of the race was still very much up in the air.

I think that had a lot to do with the reaction. The fans wouldn't have been so prone to lash out at a smaller venue with a more finite format.

Martin620: Ya know I really don't know what to think, because for the amount of money you pay for a ticket, just to see what was an awesome race up 'til the caution, end under caution, kinda sucked. For one thing (I know Gordon fans are going to hate this but) Jeff would not have won if there wasn't a caution.

And yeah, I know driver safety, but that's 'Dega, you take your life in your hand, or someone else's the minute you get in the car. I think after 10 laps to go, caution laps shouldn't count, like The Winston, then we still would have had four good laps of racing left!

One of my lifelong friends shares that mindset, Marty Stewart. He says Talladega is Talladega, and drivers know of the inherent danger that coincides with it every time they strap in. It'll separate the men from the boys, show us who the true racers are, he says.

I disagree. Every last one of those boys is plumb crazy, but none of them are stupid. They're willing to go out there and race like hell, but they know the possibilities of late lap restarts when no one is willing to give an inch.

You may not believe it, but there is plenty of give and take in the early and mid stages of races. Guys are willing to work with one another. But come time to go no one is your friend. It's time to pay the bills and activate the sponsorship, even if it means putting cars where they don't normally go.

One-lap shootouts just aren't an option.

"I absolutely agree with that," Jeff Gordon said. "This is a unique place where the restrictor plates are involved and we are three and four-wide. It's nothing but trouble. You saw how hairy it was out there today. We certainly didn't need to add to that."

But, true to form, Junior would take the risk for the shot at the reward.

"I want the win, so give me a lap and we'll see what happens," he said. "I understand that it is dangerous - maybe not for a guy in first, second, third or fourth - but this guy coming from 10th that's trying to get a top five and somehow somebody gets on his roof every time. So it's maybe not a good idea overall for everybody. But I'd have liked to have a shot at it."

20Stewart02: Yes. Very much so. To throw full beer cans was uncalled for. This is supposed to be racing, not soccer. Fans are supposed to act more mature, but I guess this proves we have idiots in this sport as much as any other, and that's a shame.

Full beer cans thrown that distance can do some serious damage, and what about the flagman? He's in harms way.....one badly thrown can could've seriously injured him.

That was so embarrassing, that I refuse to attend a Talladega race until something is done. And I would not categorize those at Talladega that did this immature act as "fellow fans". I wouldn't want to associate with them at all. Shame on them.

Preach it, Tone Loc. The Nextel Cup flagman, Jimmy Howell, is my main man, one of the most well-liked folks in the garage. Thank goodness he escaped unscathed.

buckshotfan: Well, the fans' behavior yesterday certainly wasn't the sport's most shining moment. However, in a warped sense, it's that same passion exhibited by those fans that make this sport what it is.

NASCAR fans are the most vocal, the most supportive, the most critical and okay, probably the most drunk, fans in the world.

And frankly, Talladega folks are known for being slightly more "over the top" then other tracks - and that's why we love Talladega. While I don't agree with their choice of expression, I admire their spirit.

Dale Jr. agrees with you, Bucky Lasek.

"In a way, I look at it as a pure form of expression which I really rare in this sport," Junior said. "It's really the only outlet left of telling it like it is. A side of me really likes to see the reaction whether it was pro Earnhardt or anti-Earnhardt.

"I've seen a lot of people holding up No. 24 banners and hats that were happy Gordon won the race. A lot of people may have been disappointed just because they didn't go back to green."

Junior's too nice. Wonder how'd he'd respond if one of those cans smashed through his radiator?

naja69US: One way to stop that nonsense is to ban alcohol at Dega! Let's see how those idiots will react to that. I remember when the Raiders used to play at the Coliseum in L.A. and some dumb drunks beat up a Steelers fan. Alcohol was banned and idiots quickly learned to control themselves.

Sadly enough, there are too many drunks attending the races and they are ruining it for those of us that like to have a few drinks. But, I'm willing to have alcohol banned for at least one season to get the point across.

Disallowing fans the privilege of bringing their own refreshments to the track would only add more money to the NASCAR pot. If beer could only be purchased inside the racing venue, a portion of it would go to NASCAR. All I ever hear from fans is how greedy the sanctioning body is.

Well, the folks in Talladega Sunday just gave NASCAR the right to ban coolers, and thus force fans to spend even more cash on concessions.

Great response, Najeh Davenport. Sometimes, in order to teach a lesson, we must revert to parenting skills. Throw a tantrum, we'll take your toys away. My gracious what a shame it would be if BYOB were done away with. It's a NASCAR institution.

biffleboy: While I'm not condoning that type of behavior, frankly, how could NASCAR expect anything less? Same thing happened few years back at Daytona, didn't it? The length of these yellows is ludicrous. The time spent under yellow was something like 1 1/2 hours...come on!

NASCAR could have prevented the debris shower by just going back to green, so I blame NASCAR for the fan's seemingly inappropriate response. While embarrassing, those poor people weren't capable of rationale thought at that point in time, and I don't blame them. You gotta love this sport.

I do love this sport, but won't blame NASCAR. Call me a suck up. Call me a mouthpiece. Call me whatever you wish. I don't care. But do me one favor. While you're cussing, remember this: No drivers were upset by the decision. None of them.

In this instance, it's not about the fans. It's about the well being of the competitors. NASCAR stuck to the rules they'd set forth and ended the race under caution.

It's not the first time, nor will it be the last.

The Last Lap appears on NASCAR.COM every Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET.

The opinions listed here are solely those of the writer.