The Blame Game 

My grandfather always said, "For every finger you point at someone, there are four others pointing back at you." This was always said after he broke up a scuffle. Grandpa was pretty smart. He knew that it takes two to tango, or as was the case with this latest incident at the La Crosse Speedway--it's a threesome. (But definitely not in the way that you may have seen on Cinemax late at night.)


It would seem those words of wisdom bear repeating for several drivers at the race track. Yet again, we've had another big accident in the NASCAR Late Model division involving a lapped car with front runners attempting to pass--going into a three-wide game of chicken at turn one. And everyone, whether they are racers or spectators, are quick to toss blame onto the one of players in the incident.


Two rookies and one track champion were involved. Some are quick to blame the lapped car. Others either of the rookies, based upon their "lack of experience." And some are haranguing the champion for losing his head.


Me? I think all three are to blame. Mostly by virtue of choosing to race, as wrecking is a chance you take every night you slide behind the wheel and strap into your six-point harness. But we all love this sport of racing, so one cannot seriously blame it. That would just be plain blasphemous. 


Some points need to be made first and foremost.  You're not racing for a million dollars. I'm all for a win, but does first place really pay that much more than second? I'm only asking rhetorically, because making a brash move to gain a few more bucks and just four more points, hardly seems worth it when the potential consequences are a smashed up car, WAY less money and WAY less points at the end of the night. And if you asked any of the serious drivers at the speedway, they are not in this game to make money. They're here for the competition and the thirst to win.


The bottom-line is that I do indeed fault all three players in that incident. Bob Manske, who was being lapped by the leaders; John Olson, who was fighting to hang onto the lead and J Herbst, who was angling to take over the top spot by using the lapped car as a pick. They all bear a portion of responsibility for the incident that demolished their cars and several others who found themselves caught up in the carnage.


Wasn't it Wisconsin short-track legend, Dick Trickle that said, "To finish first, you must first finish?"


So what could each of those three players done differently to prevent the destruction on Saturday night? As I've said before, I'm not a driver, just an observer and videographer. In my opinion, I think Manske could have gotten a little lower on the track. It was turn one. A place where most everyone dive bombs lower than they should anyway. He had plenty of room to go a little lower, after hearing the tower tell him the leaders were coming hot on his tail. Olson perhaps could have moved up a bit more prior to the entry of turn one, in an effort to negate Herbst's desire to take the outside groove with the lapped car there. And Herbst could have realized that going three-wide--and pinching it tight down into the lower groove is not exactly going to yield a good outcome. There's plenty of blame to go around.


It's a situation that makes me sick, because I know how much time, effort and money it takes to put those machines back together. It's hard on everyone involved, but it could've been avoided with clearer heads behind the wheel. We can only hope that the finger pointing will subside by this weekend. However, I have a feeling it will be replaced by certain fingers being extended in an upward direction, instead. Bad blood is brewing and will make for a very hairy rest of the season with these players.