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In a recent USA Today article, Ryan Newman brought up the idea that more drivers should have grads, and not just high school grads. He is talking college grads.

While many crewmembers are coming into the sport with degrees in engineering, fabrication or aerospace, the only pedigree a driver needs to have is if he/she can win a race and how good they are at stringing together all their sponsor names in one long sentence when prompted in front of a camera.

And while that may not sound like much, consider that other professional athletes are simply judged on their dunking ability or how few times they have been in trouble with Johnny Law before joining their new team.

Makes some NASCAR drivers sound like Nobel laureates, eh?

Newman went on to say how much his education has helped in communication with his team and crew chief as they discuss car set up and he also believes higher education serves a higher purpose. Kudos to Newman for wanting to be a “larger than just racing” role model for those kids who see all the glory and none of the hard work that went into it. And kudos to Newman’s family who insisted on education before full-time racing. In today’s world of get-all-you-can-while-you-can-as-soon-as-you-can, that is a refreshing message. While we many of us dream of glory on the field of competition the cruel fact is that few of us are more than weekend warriors. The rags-to-riches story is part of the fabric of the American Dream and should always be kept alive. But the reality of life needs to come first. Even if you are lucky enough to be Ryan Newman, you might be unlucky enough to be a Steve Park. You might never drive a car, dunk a ball or hit another homer in your life. And what are you left with after that? Accidents, injuries and running out of talent send many a dreamer to the sidelines of sporting life.

The sporting world is full of high-flying stars. But those stars got to the top on a playing field littered with those who went before them. And in many cases, those littered fields are full of the wilted bodies and shattered dreams of the athletes, and their families, who clinging to their dreams, fell back to earth with a dose of cold, hard and often harsh reality.

While any rule requiring a mandated level of education before entering Cup racing is highly unlikely, I give Ryan Newman two thumbs up for even bringing up the topic. It is not a topic that is unique to NASCAR. Major league stick and ball sports have been raiding college ranks for years and are now drafting kids right out of high school before they ever have a chance at college. These kids not only give up their college education, but they leave behind their chance at the experiences of college life as well as personal growth and discovery that go on during those important years.

That is not to say that no one can make it big unless they go to college. Many have done that and others have failed after college. But there are two things you can never have enough of in life, in my opinion: love and education. Thanks to Mr. Newman for reminding us of both.

How bad have YOU got it? Michelle Theriault is asking you to sponsor her car
I am happy to announce Michelle Theriault will be gunning for a win at the Daytona ARCA race. While they have funding for the race, they are looking for a sponsor to grace the hood of her car. If you are a company that is looking for additional exposure or perhaps looking to get into racing for a low cost to see if it is for you, this is your perfect opportunity for you. A team spokesman told me that they have an opportunity far below the usual costs associated with even ARCA racing. This opportunity is not for just the side panel or rear of the car, this is for the best space available; THE HOOD – for about what you would expect to pay for a mere associate sponsor rate somewhere else.

In addition to this Daytona opportunity, Theriault is looking to partner with some lucky sponsor full time. Michelle is an engaging young driver with a second-to-none drive to win and with loads of personality to boot. Once you meet her, you will be a fan for life. If you are interested in this opportunity, go to michelletheriault.com and get in the game.

Let me know your thoughts on all this.

Drive fast, turn left and keep the shiny side up.
Feel free to send Chuck your thoughts on this and other race topics at chucka@turnleftracing.com. The blog at www.turnleftracing.com is down now due to spammers. We will have that back up as soon as we can.