Michael Waltrip And J.C. France Make Off Track News

By Ron Meyer

Earlier this week NASCAR Sprint Cup Series owner/driver Michael Waltrip was involved in an automobile/motorcycle accident.  Apparently Waltrip was making a u-turn when his car collided with a Harley Davidson.  Waltrip was uninjured, and no injury report on the other driver was released. 

According to WCNC-TV, Waltrip did pass a field sobriety test, registering .06 blood-alcohol level.  In North Carolina, .08 is the legal limit.  Waltrip was cited for failure to yield by Mooresville police. This is the second time in two years Waltrip has been involved in an accident.  In 2007 he was charged with reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident, though charges were later dropped.

On October 8^th, J.C. France, nephew of NASCAR CEO Brian France was arrested for DUI and drug possession, according to the Orlando Sentinel.  Apparently France and his half-brother Russell Richmond were racing a Lamborghini and a Porsche on Daytona streets.  Richmond repeatedly boasted of his powerful family, and asked officers if they knew what being a France meant in Daytona.  He was quoted as saying “We own this city.  I am going to have your job.”  Both men were bonded out.

I do not believe NASCAR has problems with alcohol and drugs that other sports do not.  Cyberspace has insured that information regarding any wrongdoing by any celebrity is instantly reported around the world.  Few weeks pass by that an NFL, NBA, or MLB player isn’t cited for some type of alcohol or drug related problem.  It doesn’t stop with the pros either.  No major college athletic programs are problem free.

Athletes mirror society on the issues of alcohol and drug use.  They certainly aren’t better overall than the average citizen, but probably aren’t worse either.  What bothers me is that other than the most serious of crimes, celebrity athletes will receive a slap on the wrist as punishment.

As stated above, charges of reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident against Waltrip were dropped in 2007.  If I had done the same thing, I am sure I would have paid a hefty fine, and lost my driver’s license too.  Waltrip got a do not go to jail pass.  Do you think that France and Richmond will get more than probation, community service, and a fine?  I don’t.  The average citizen picked up possessing cocaine would be looking at jail time.  Of course the average citizen wouldn’t have been racing a Lamborghini on city streets either.

I was born and raised blue collar.  My dad busted his butt boning Cure 81 hams for Hormel for 30 years.  We had a decent middle class upbringing, and learned right from wrong.  We weren’t privileged, and knew if we got in trouble with the law we would not be bailed out by my dad.  I have a very difficult time accepting special treatment for celebrities, athletes, musicians, movie stars, politicians, or the rich. 

Call me what you will, I believe it is too bad that Daytona police did not taser Richmond for resisting arrest.  I certainly would have contributed to the defense fund of any officer who did that and was brought up on charges. As for Waltrip, he has a drinking problem.  There was another incident prior to the 2007 incident already mentioned.  I think his sponsors, starting with Toyota, should force him to put a substitute driver in the seat of the 55 car for the rest of the season, and in order to retain sponsorship in the future, force him to go to rehab immediately.  How many of us have had three alcohol related incidents in our life?  Most of us can state we have never been arrested on any such charges.  Waltrip now has three in no more than four or five years.  That is a problem that needs to be taken care of.

France doesn’t limit his racing to city streets.  He is well known in Grand-Am circles.  He also is now suspended indefinitely by the Grand-Am sanctioning body.  Waltrip has not been suspended by NASCAR, and I suppose since he was “only” near the legal blood alcohol level and only charged with failure to yield the right of way, NASCAR could not suspend him.  Of course NASCAR writes its own rule book, and they could certainly join Toyota and Waltrip’s sponsors in counseling rehab.

Thanks for stopping by.