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Jeff Wolf
Testing plan deserves support
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Mel Evans/The Associated Press
Brad Keselowski celebrates with an American flag Sunday after winning the Good Sam RV Insurance 500 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa. Keselowski suffered a broken left ankle four days earlier because of a brake failure during a testing session on Road Atlanta's road course.
Call Brad Keselowski a stud or a crash-test dummy. Just don't call him a hero.
Keselowski won Sunday's 500-mile Sprint Cup race at Pennsylvania's Pocono Raceway just four days after he broke his left ankle and suffered back pain in a testing crash. A brake failure at 100 mph on Road Atlanta's road course sent his car head-on into a guard wall, leaving left Keselowski's ankle looking like it belonged to the Elephant Man and the front of his No. 2 Penske Dodge resembling a Pug.
That did not deter Keselowski from racing Sunday, when he wanted a chance to salute 30 American troops killed when their helicopter was shot down the day before over Afghanistan. One of the Navy SEALs was a cousin's friend.
"I might not be feeling great, but those are the guys that are really making sacrifices," Keselowski said after the race.
Keselowski was embarrassed by accolades that rained upon him like confetti.
"I'm not a hero; I just make a living driving race cars," he said.
In one way, his unplanned role as crash-test dummy could warrant lofty status if it leads to modifications of NASCAR's testing policy and enhances safety for his peers.
NASCAR began restricting testing after the 2008 season to save teams money. Before then, teams could test on tracks that host NASCAR races whenever they wanted. Since the ban, NASCAR-sanctioned tracks are used for only a few Goodyear tire-testing sessions and after a track has been repaved.
NASCAR doesn't control whether a team goes to Road Atlanta or other road courses and ovals it doesn't sanction.
Those tracks do not have energy-absorbing SAFER barriers and safety/rescue personnel familiar with helping drivers at NASCAR races.
Some drivers and team owners like the policy. Some don't.
Owner Richard Childress suggests teams be allowed to arrive a day earlier for Cup races to test. That usually would be on Thursdays.
Chris Powell, president of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, likes the Thursday option. He said teams already would be heading to the tracks, so the only added costs would be a night's room and board.
Powell wants to extend the extra day to include activities that would help build the next generation of race fans.
He wants a break during testing for an autograph session with all drivers. He wants some drivers to address groups of middle school students.
It would be a free day for all.
On the Thursday before this year's NASCAR event at the speedway, NASCAR demanded a free test day for Nationwide teams. Powell agreed to pick up the tab, provided drivers testing would participate in a one-hour autograph session.
About 600 fans made it in before the line was closed, and they were able to meet stars Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Mark Martin and Danica Patrick.
Everyone seemed happy -- even the drivers.
There should be no reason why NASCAR doesn't back Powell's plan. It can't disapprove of a concept that provides a safer atmosphere for testing and introduces a new generation of fans to the sport.
Jeff Wolf's motor sports column is published Friday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He can be reached at jwolf@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0247. Visit lvrj.com/motorsports for more news and commentary. Follow Wolf on Twitter: @lvrjwolf.
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