Column: It's their party and they'll cry if they want to

            TALLADEGA, Ala. - You can't actually have it both ways.

            Driving back from Talladega Superspeedway to the motel Sunday night, I made the mistake of listening to NASCAR talk radio.

            The fans were up in arms about the lack of teamwork by their heroes. Jeff Gordon supposedly wouldn't work with Dale Earnhardt Jr. Kyle Busch wouldn't work with Denny Hamlin, or vice-versa. I forget which.

            Now, is NASCAR a team sport, or isn't it?

            I can't help but think that, if they had worked together like a 400-meter relay team, fans would've complained about that. It wasn't too long ago that my in-box was filled with complaints about "team orders" ruining this sport. Fans were appalled that several drivers in the same multi-car team might work together to make a mockery of competition.

            The big teams, sang the chorus, were ruining the sport.

            It seems to me that there isn't a lot of ideological purity in the grandstands, the cars on the interstate and the living rooms of America. The stand on principle depends on who the principals are.

            An Earnhardt Jr. fan wants help. A Gordon fans wants help. A Tony Stewart fan wants help. He (or she) doesn't want anyone else to get any.

            That's all right. It's fine to pull for someone. It's what makes the laps go ‘round. But don't demonize someone else for looking out for No. 1.

            It's sort of the same where personalities are concerned. If it's "your guy" who speaks out, he's "telling it like it is." If it's "some other guy," he's a whiner.

            If it's your guy, he's winning because he's the best driver and his team just flat works harder than all those other teams. If it's some other guy, he's winning because he's probably cheating, or even if it can't be proven, anybody could win driving that car. NASCAR wants him to win. His sponsor paid everybody off.

            The last thing anyone wants to admit is that some other guy won fair and square. Nothing nourishes conspiracy like sour grapes.

            You can reach Monte Dutton at mdutton@gastongazette.com.