Playing Past Your Prime

Doug Rice

One of the best things about NASCAR is the ability for its athletes to compete much longer than other sports allow.

By age 35 in most sports you're considered a wily veteran. By age 40 you're ancient.

In NASCAR Mark Martin proved last year that you can win and even compete for a championship at age 50 and beyond.  It's one of the beautiful things about the sport of NASCAR, and it's also one of the worst things.

Far too many times have we seen drivers hold on way beyond their prime. Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip both went winless over the last eight seasons of their illustrious careers.

So I must ask with all due respect why Bobby Labonte and Bill Elliott insist on hanging on when calendar has long since turned the page and the opportunity to be in first class ride has evaporated.

If it's just for the dollars, I can understand; a little bit. Even the last place money for a Cup race is probably more than most race fans bring home in a year. Hey, get it while you can.

If the reason is because they love competing, well it hurts me to say this; they are not competing they are merely participating. In his last 82 starts since 2004, Elliott has scored one top ten finish. Labonte has faired somewhat better, scoring 50 top tens since 2004 but both have zero victories.

Having watched both of these champions in their prime win races and championships, it just hurts me to see them on the track with no realistic chance of being competitive.

I realize Elliott has been helpful in making sure the Wood Brothers get in the show, and I admire Bobby for saying he doesn't want to be a start and park driver.

Stay in the sport and drive if you must, but I will remember you both from a different time when you were earning those champion provisionals and not using them.

It's the one truth that all aging drivers must face: In the battle against the calendar, the calendar is undefeated.