NASCAR: Are Dueling Agendas An Impossible Balancing Act?
By Mike Hutton
USA Today Sports
Drivers
Task: Execute the end game.
Let’s face it – drivers are the face of the sport to legacy fans, casual fans and non-fans alike. They are who receive the media attention in good times and bad. They’re also like the character Peter Gibbons from the movie “Office Space” in that they have many different bosses. They answer to an owner who expects results. They answer to sponsors who expect results. They answer to fans who expect results. They’re expected to communicate effectively with a crew chief, who is held jointly responsible for producing results. Common theme? Produce results.
Do drivers have 100% control over their results each week? No, and that shows us that our sport is no different than any other business / company / job in America — often times accountability is expected without having fully empowered those from whom you demand it. If your boss wants you to produce X number of widgets per day, but doesn’t give you the right raw materials or the machine you have to operate is constantly breaking down, how can you get the job done? You can’t.
How can a driver produce winning results if he/she doesn’t have the right equipment or is confined by a set of rules which don’t allow him/her to excel? He or she can’t.