Driver aggressiveness is a factor in every NASCAR event. However, certain tracks set the stage for more of an aggressive race than others, short tracks especially. One of the best parts of the night race at Bristol is keeping track of how many guys throw their helmets at someone after an incident.

Pocono has never really been one of those tracks, until today.

Perhaps it was the extended, soggy weekend or the hot afternoon or the unusual raciness of the track. Whatever it was, it certainly cost some drivers their patience and others their race cars.

During the 200 lap event, there were ten yellow flags including one competition caution, two debris cautions and seven yellow flags for on-track incidents.

The most obvious display of aggression was between the ever hostile Robby Gordon and the normally level-headed David Stremme. Gordon has a history of aggressiveness behind the wheel and has recently learned how to keep himself in check after multiple penalties from NASCAR for his actions. Unfortunately, his short fuse got the best of him today.

Gordon and Stremme made contact a few times while racing each other and then on lap 149 Gordon spun and hit the wall. Stremme was behind him, had no where to go and got into him. Because of the earlier taps Gordon lost his cool.

“The 12 is getting wrecked, ok,” Gordon said over his radio after the incident. “I don’t care. NASCAR can park me or whatever but he’s getting wrecked.”

Less than ten laps later, the terrible two-some brought out another caution. Once the race had restarted after their previous altercation, Gordon decided to give Stremme a piece of his mind by bumping him a few times, but Gordon collected himself and left it at that. Stremme responded by letting Gordon pass him on the high-side and then he slid up and spun him around again.

NASCAR decided to show both drivers their behavior was unacceptable and held them on pit road for five laps each as a penalty for their actions.

Stremme and Gordon, however, were not the only drivers to show some attitude. Eventual race winner Denny Hamlin caused caution number nine when he spun David Reutimann who in turn collected Marcos Ambrose. Hamlin’s crew chief said his driver was remorseful of the incident but nevertheless it was aggressive and yet out of character for Hamlin.

The final caution came out with only twenty laps to go after Bobby Labonte went for a wild ride for the second time. This one was caused by David Ragan and then swept up multiple drivers in the aftermath. Labonte was openly discouraged as he climbed out of his demolished race car, to the point where he got a little hands-on with the safety crew.

On top of these debacles were a handful of other, less destructive displays of attitude during the Pennsylvania 500. NASCAR has implemented more and more penalties to address aggressive driving and yet it is hard to understand why they try to tame the competition.

This was arguably one of the best races of the year and certainly one of the best at Pocono, especially in recent years. Perhaps the rules themselves should be tamed. NASCAR should have penalties for extremely dangerous violations, such as drivers hitting each other on pit road, but it seems as though the over excessive rules to lessen aggressiveness only hurt the level of competition.

After all, rubbin’ is racin’ and NASCAR needs to remember that.

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