April 6, 2019 | By Lee Spencer

NASCAR Column: Much obliged: Not every driver makes the most of media availability

BRISTOL, Tenn.—Ryan Newman wasn't about to walk away. 

The driver of the No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford had already satisfied his media obligations. 

But he wasn’t close to overstaying his welcome.

“Did you see the memo,” the conversation began. 

Clearly, I had not.

“The NASCAR industry memo about drivers and how they treat the media and answering all the questions and making sure we fulfill our obligations or else we’re going to get penalized? You didn’t see that one,” asked Newman.

After talking to NASCAR, I discovered the memo—or note—was enclosed in the weekly handout to crew chiefs from Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series director Jay Fabian. It addressed competitors willingness to interact with the media following qualifying and each race. 

This initiative was designed to offer exposure to a wide range of drivers, not just those consistently in the headlines. 

In full disclosure, NASCAR also surveyed the media about the process following the first six races. They asked about our experiences, what worked and what didn’t. As one of only four journalists to attend the first seven races and have participated in most of the scrums, the process has been beneficial.

The memo was also disseminated to public relations representatives through NASCAR’s IMC department. After a little more digging, I tracked down a copy of the ‘memo’. The messaging started out as a thank-you note. It spoke to increased engagement with the media leading to better stories.

The concern on NASCAR's part was fueled by drivers who refused to engage in the interview process or blew off the media altogether. NASCAR implored the drivers to “treat our media and staff with respect.” The note concluded with “starting this weekend at Bristol, if a driver fails to complete their media obligations or is verbally aggressive with a NASCAR staff member or a media member, there will be penalties.” 

When NASCAR threatens to drop the hammer on the drivers, that penalty could come in the form of a fine from $10,000 to $50,000. 

And, yes, this is addressed in the NASCAR rule book under section 10.3.2.k, Driver Responsibilities: “Unless otherwise authorized by NASCAR, drivers must participate in media activities designated by NASCAR during an Event.”

Every driver who qualifies for a race and every driver finishing the race in the top 10 is required to attend the NASCAR bullpen.

Some competitors still scratch their heads to understand why a lackluster performance is worth the media’s time or theirs. Honestly, in NASCAR’s defense, there are probably a dozen drivers that would have no interaction with the media if not for the new post-event procedures. Landon Cassill said on Friday he enjoyed coming to the media center. 

But after Newman’s 18th-place qualifying effort at Texas, finding the logic in discussing an unremarkable performance was lost on the driver. 

“Which is why I didn’t want to be there,” Newman said. “All I’m going to do is bash the people they say not to bash and then get yelled at by my general manager for saying what’s on my mind. It just doesn’t work. The facts are the facts. You’re just better off pleading the fifth.”

In a sport that does not always reward brutal honesty, Newman is a breath of fresh air. With such a diverse array of personalities in the garage, some drivers are more forthcoming with analysis than others. Like Newman, Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer have offered constructive criticism as NASCAR has attempted to navigate the qualifying waters on Friday. Others just reflect on their respective qualifying run and bolt. 

While driver responsibilities can be a necessary evil for some competitors, it might be the only opportunity for some to express gratitude for a sponsor or their team. For drivers not willing to play the game on Fridays, simply put, that is their loss.