Question: What’s one of the most prevalent clichés in NASCAR racing?
Answer: That the Sprint All-Star Race is the best time to settle scores with other drivers, because there are no points on the line.
In reality, drivers seldom if ever exact revenge for prior slights in the All-Star Race, precisely because there are no points on the line.
“If somebody harmed you or did you wrong in a points-paying situation, you want to pay him back in a fair manner, which would be during a points-paying event,” Jimmie Johnson said Friday before practice for the All-Star Race. “…But at the end of the day, when we get ticked in the car when something happens, you don’t think about those things.
“So, if that switch had flipped on whomever it is, it could still happen. There really isn’t a clear-cut path or code to it all. But the smart guys, they wouldn’t do it here. They’re going to wait until points are on the line, and it has the same impact on that guy as it did to them.”
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