NASCAR: What’s wrong with NASCAR? Part 7 – The drivers

Lack of personality

Okay, we’ve talked about some of the outskirt issues revolving around the current crop of drivers, but let’s get to the biggest issue of all: their lack of personalities.

As a disclaimer, I do want to address the fact that much of this is to blame on NASCAR. Creating the dynamic that drivers can’t display or showcase emotion is the sport’s fault. They’ve told drivers that if they get angry or say the wrong thing, they will be penalized. That sort of dynamic isn’t healthy for the sport.

Now, stepping aside from NASCAR’s side of this, let’s talk about the drivers. It seems like much of the drivers in the new generation just don’t have personalities. We don’t see the ruggedness we saw in Tony Stewart or the down-south humbleness of Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Sadly, it takes a rare situation such as Denny Hamlin dumping Chase Elliott at Martinsville Speedway last fall to spark any sort of emotional response from younger talent. We’ve seen flashes, but nothing consistent. This, to me, sticks out like a sore thumb.

I’m not going to sit here and name names, but we all know that many of the younger stars just don’t have a voice in the sport. They don’t speak up, they don’t rub fenders, and they don’t stand up for themselves in an aggressive manner.

This hurts the sport. Fans want drivers to carry their emotions on their sleeves. Instead of drivers openly showing their anger, sadness, or disappointment, many young stars seemingly don’t care. Mind you, I said seemingly. I know these guys truly love this sport, but I’m just asking them to show it!