Nobody could ever honestly claim that life is fair.

And if that's the case, why on earth would anyone think that racing would be any different?

Kelly Bires has just one finish outside the top 17 this year, but is still without a ride.

“

It's not a lot of fun sitting out or racing every other weekend or once a month, whatever. We're too good to be doing that and I think there's a lot of people that know it. I just need the right opportunity, the right situation to happen.

”

-- KELLY BIRES

In fact, racing not only reeks too often of unfairness -- sometimes it downright stinks.

Take the recent case of Kelly Bires.

Since he came out of the Midwest Late Model ranks several years ago to race a Wood Brothers/JTG Racing Ford in the Truck Series, Bires has done little to disprove his prospects for a bright future.

The only thing he hasn't done is win -- but that doesn't put him in terribly bad company, no matter if it's Sprint Cup, Nationwide or the Camping World Truck Series. Lots of men and women could claim that honor.

At a cursory glance, it seems the biggest detriments to Bires thus far in his career has been consistency and commitment -- or the lack of both. But before you throw a stone, we aren't talking about Bires.

It seems teams and sponsors have been the ones with issues.

Since he made his Truck Series debut at the end of 2007, Bires has only run one complete season in either the Truck Series or Nationwide. That makes his 2008 season with JTG Daugherty Racing, when he finished 13th in the Nationwide championship, a little more notable.

Otherwise, Bires' short career in "the bigs" has been sporadic. And it makes his performance a couple weeks ago at Richmond a little more impressive.

After only six races -- only five of which Bires drove -- a "chemical imbalance" was cited when Bires was released from his contract with JR Motorsports. Without picking and probing too deeply, the whole JR scenario highlights everything that's good and bad about this level of the sport: Opportunity, sponsorship, production and compatibility -- all of which must merge perfectly to achieve success.

And, to maintain the consistency necessary to remain employed.

With the multi-faceted scenario in place at JR Motorsports -- lack of full sponsorship for any of the team's three Nationwide cars, partial schedules for a number of budding drivers (including media hot-button Danica Patrick), and all the pressure that brings -- something was bound to blow. (Continued)