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Thursday, June 8, 2006
Rubbing fenders with religion
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Jeff Schultz
If the separation between church and state has gotten a little blurry in recent years, at least it’s not NASCAR. Because the separation between church and pits done blowed up a long time ago.
A publisher that hawks books on Scientology is sponsoring a driver on NASCAR’s late-model weekly circuit in California. Great. I figure it’s only a matter of time before other religions jump into the water (holy or otherwise).
I just want to be there when the Havoline/Nation of Islam Chevy rolls into Talladega.
You think it’s nasty when Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch slam fenders? What’s going to happen when the Israel and Hamas-sponsored Dodges come barreling out of turn two?
I look down the pavement and see the Roman Catholic Church/Hickory Hams Ford. I see Scientologists, Jews, Jews for Jesus, Hari Krishnas (cool paint job), Methodists, Baptists, Southern Baptists, North-by-Northwest Baptists and Episcopalians. I possibly see Agnostics, but they’re leaving their options open. I see them swapping paint in the grand daddy of all points races. Just gimme that Old Time Religion 500.
“It sounds like a South Park episode,” said Larry DeGaris.
Dude. They’re killing more than Kenny. Must preaching intersect with my beer and brat?
DeGaris is the director of the Center for Sports Sponsorships at James Madison University. He has done studies on NASCAR sponsorships and has heard the latest: Kenton Gray, who competes on a late-model NASCAR weekly circuit in southern California, will compete Saturday night at little Irwindale Speedway with a new sponsor: Bridge Publications and its book, “Dianetics,” written by the late L. Ron Hubbard of Scientology fame (or infamy).
DeGaris said while publicity could help book sales, he wouldn’t expect it to lead to religious converts. His analogy: “NASCAR fans love Chevy, but a lot of them drive Toyotas. Why? Because they think Toyotas are better.”
NASCAR doesn’t seem to have a problem with any of this. It allowed Bobby Labonte to have, “The Passion of the Christ” painted on his car. It allowed Morgan Shepherd to compete for the “Victory in Jesus Racing Ministries.” NASCAR balked at his initial paint job, but eventually allowed him to have “Racing With Jesus” painted on the hood.
“If we felt like there was something inflammatory, we would get involved,” said Jim Hunter, NASCAR’s vice president of communications. “When you start trying to legislate morals and philosophy, it’s a slippery slope.”
But isn’t promoting religions equally slippery?
Hunter acknowledged NASCAR has taken heat before for allowing beer and hard liquor companies to sponsor cars. He admitted, “Religion possibly is the most inflammable” sponsor of all.
Flammable. But not inflammatory. I’m lost.
A little weekly race at Irwindale’s half-mile oval has never received so much attention. The track’s general manager, Robert DeFazio, has heard from local and national media. “It’s obviously gotten a lot of national attention, but we’re a non-denominational operation,” DeFazio said.
But Saturday at Irwindale is “Allstate” night, not Scientology night. (Those good hands are not the cold dead ones of L. Ron Hubbard.)
Scientology, around since 1950, has gained a following in Hollywood. The most famous follower is the couch-jumping Tom Cruise. So. Can we expect Cruise to astral project to Irwindale to cheer for his fellow Kenton Gray, a fellow Scientologist?
“No, Tom hasn’t called,” DeFazio said. “Actually, I guess he wouldn’t call. His people would call. But they haven’t called, either.”
Mark McKinstry, a spokesperson for Bridge, stated this obvious: “I want to sell books,” adding, “Will this appeal to everybody? Probably not.”
Hubbard was 74 when he died in 1986. He was either a visionary or a whackjob, depending on, well, your religion.
According to the online encyclopedia, Wikipedia: “When he died, the Church of Scientology announced Hubbard had deliberately ‘discarded the body’ to do ‘higher level spiritual research,’ unencumbered by mortal confines.”
And of course, that higher-level spiritual research has led him … to Irwindale.
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