Brad Keselowski became a social media darling after hopping on Twitter during a lengthy delay in the Daytona 500.
Keselowski was the center of attention, and NASCAR seemed trendy and hip – a description its executives surely adored.
Turns out, tweeting from the car isn’t cool with NASCAR.
Keselowski was fined $25,000 on Monday for tweeting during the red flag at Phoenix International Raceway on Sunday.
The punishment was confusing to fans who vented on Twitter, wondering why Keselowski was punished for Sunday’s tweets when he was celebrated by NASCAR for doing the exact same thing in February.
Some alleged the Sprint Cup Series points leader was being disciplined for his profanity-laced outburst after Sunday’s crash- and fight-marred race.
NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp on Tuesday dismissed the conspiracy theories and said drivers had been told after the Daytona 500 that electronic devices – including cellphones – could not be carried inside the race cars going forward.
“Brad’s tweeting at the Daytona 500 was really our first introduction to the magnitude of the social media phenomenon at the race track, especially how we saw it unfold that evening,” Tharp said. “We encourage our drivers to participate in social media. We feel we have the most liberal social media policy in all of sports, and the access we provide is the best in all of sports.
“But we also have rules that pertain to competition that need to be enforced and abided by. Once the 500 took place, and in the days and weeks following the 500, NASCAR communicated to the drivers and teams that while social media was encouraged and we promoted it, the language in the rule book was clear and that drivers couldn’t carry onboard their cars electronic devices, like a phone.”
Keselowski, who takes a 20-point lead over Jimmie Johnson into Sunday’s season finale in his quest to win his first Sprint Cup Series title, has not commented on his penalty.
ELSEWHERE
NASCAR is adding Mid-Ohio to the Nationwide Series next season as the third road course on the 2013 schedule. The Aug. 17 race in Lexington will mark NASCAR’s return to Ohio, home state of series main sponsor Nationwide Insurance. NASCAR last raced in Ohio in 2008 with the Truck Series. … Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing will formally introduce Graham Rahal as its new driver today at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Rahal, 23, will be paired with his father, Bobby, the team’s co-owner and winner of three championships along with the 1986 Indianapolis 500. Graham Rahal spent the past two seasons driving for Chip Ganassi.
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