Several years ago, when NASCAR was still rearing its head for most American sports fans (even the average racing fan wasn’t too familiar), Ned Jarrett was in the broadcast booth, the former racer waxing rhapsodic about some driver or other, when this pearl left his lips on a network television broadcast, back when a “broadcast network” still meant something: “That driver’s a good Christian boy and I’m sure he’s gonna do real well in this sport…”.
Funny, but for the life of me, I just don’t remember ever hearing Vin Scully say, “That Sandy Koufax fellow, you know, he’s a real good Jew and, why, you might even call him “the chosen pitcher” …”.
We’ll deal with a comment I heard from one of the announcers during today’s race, the Nationwide Series’ “Kansas Lottery 300” at Kansas Speedway (can’t get anymore Christian than supporting the state lottery now, can you?).
NASCAR has a Black announcer. That’s big news in and of itself, and who it is might prove a bit of a surprise.
Brad Daugherty, NASCAR announcer and race team owner (!), was one of the greatest b-ballers ever at
the University of North Carolina, taken as the first pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 1986 NBA Draft. After a too-short but exemplary career, Daugherty left the NBA at age 28 due to recurrent back injuries. (Car-owner and NASCAR analyst and host Brad Daugherty, right, celebrates with Marcos Ambrose after Ambrose won the Zippo 200 Nationwide Series race at Watkins Glen, NY, earlier this season).
His jersey was retired by the Cavaliers in 1997. It’s number? #43, picked by Daugherty as a tribute to his “favorite sportsman,” NASCAR legend Richard Petty. Told you the news might be something of a surprise.
Today, Daugherty was working the analyst’s chair for ESPN2 for that Lottery 300. I’ve heard him many times and enjoy his take on things, but today he said something as dumb as Ned Jarrett did on that long-ago broadcast.
Back story: Joe Gibbs Racing, one of NASCAR’s top teams, is owned by the legendary NFL coach and Super Bowl champion. Gibbs’ son runs it day-to-day, but Coach is usually at the races, too. Gibbs, who shuns alcohol, cigarettes and chastises those who curse in his presence, was the first major team owner to sign with Toyota when they entered the Busch Series (now Nationwide Series) and the top-line Sprint Cup Series over the past two seasons. The signing surprised many who felt Gibbs would never leave Chevrolet for a “foreign” carmaker.
This season, Gibbs’ Toyotas have been powerhouses in both series. Their success in Nationwide racing has been such that other teams told NASCAR the Toyota engines must be producing more horsepower than competing Fords, Chevies and Dodges.
A few weeks ago, NASCAR impounded both of Gibbs’ Nationwide Camrys and put them on horsepower-measuring dynamometers.
Click below for more on Joe Gibbs, Brad Daugherty, and another NASCAR problem.
The Toyotas were producing about 15 more horsepower than other cars. NASCAR mandated that all 
Toyotas in the series must use a “restrictor plate” in their engines. They do exactly what they say: restrict horsepower. By about 15.
What else NASCAR found came as a shock to many. (One of Joe Gibbs' many websites has this "Please Pray - Game Plan for Life" artwork featured).
Gibbs’ mechanics had placed small magnets between the bottom of the car’s gas pedals and the floorboards, creating an artificial “stop” when pressing down hard on the accelerator, as if there’s no more pedal left to be pushed. Remove the parts (magnetic to stick to the back of the gas pedals) and – VOILA! – there’s more pedal - and more horsepower.
Preachy, pure Gibbs and his team were busted, red-handed, caught cheating. And not even subtly or originally, either. It’s been done before.
NASCAR levied some of the toughest penalties in the history of the sport. Gibbs, self-righteous to the end, actually appealed, and NASCAR reversed punishments for drivers Tony Stewart and Joey Logano, agreeing they probably had no hand in the subterfuge (two-time Sprint Cup Series champion Stewart, a creative and talented curser, often live and on-the-air, is leaving Gibbs’ team to drive a Chevrolet for a team he’ll co-own next season).
Given the All-American history and reputation of Joe Gibbs, on the playing field and on the race track and off, and knowing what we do now about the Gibbs’ team respect for NASCAR’s rules, here’s what ESPN2 NASCAR Analyst Brad Daugherty had to say about the Gibbs Nationwide Series team today, following the Kansas Lottery 300:
“Whenever you go to interview any of those people at their facility, you can feel the cohesiveness … they’re a tight-knit group. They’re a faith-based group …”.
Oh. So, it’s “faith-based,” they are. Reminds me of another American myth, of a certain political “maverick.”
Daugherty’s team won two races the first season they entered the Sears Craftsman Truck Series, a great accomplishment for any first-year effort in one of NASCAR’s three professional series. He’s involved in several NASCAR TV shows and has ownership positions in two other teams.
And, apparently, he’s a fan - and friend - of Coach Joe Gibbs, Christian American.
(One of the Gibbs Nationwide Series Toyotas, this one sponsored by Interstate Batteries. Interstate founder Norm Miller and Gibbs have been close friends and associates in the Christian and business communities in Texas for decades).
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