NASCAR’s future is dependent on surviving it’s current turn as a political piñata — with opportunists whacking from all sides — after a rope, fashioned as a noose, sparked an investigation into a potential hate crime only to discover a misunderstanding.
It’s enough for old fans and potential new ones to look on with suspicion, confusion and exhaustion.
The racing circuit, which has been hemorrhaging television ratings and ticket sales for years, requires both groups to move forward if it’s going to remain a major enterprise. It could wind up with neither, or at least far fewer fans than it needs.