August 26, 2002

Can someone, ANYONE, please tell me what in the heck is going on at BAM racing? Is Shawna Robinson ever going to be able to race HER car?

The folks at BAM appear to have no qualms about marching her out to sit pretty, sign autographs, sell merchandise and beg for sponsorship. However, it seems as if they always have one excuse or another, to keep her from actually racing.

Each week we hear, "Shawna will be back in the car for ___________." (Fill in the blank.) Yet, come race day, there sits Ron Hornaday, Derrike Cope, or whomever.

She didn't race at Bristol and now we hear she won't be racing at Darlington, either, even though BAM has repeatedly said she would.

On the few occasions she actually has been allowed in her car, they've given her nothing but junk and everyone knows it.

Message boards are ripe with accusations. While much of this can be pooh-poohed, two themes keep appearing everywhere: Are forces from within her own team sabotaging her equipment? And did they really give her the wrong RPM numbers a while back, assuring she would be penalized for speeding down pit road? These are just two of the many, many rumors that are out there.

We fans have all seen Ms. Robinson race in other series' and we know that she has what it takes to run Winston Cup, if given a fair playing field in which to compete. We'd all love to see her in a decent ride, but she is locked into a contract that at least from the outside, her team doesn't appear to be honoring. (Can you say "Wally Dallenbach" -type lawsuit?)

In the wake of the Mark Day/Deborah Renshaw debacle, I'd like to comment that at least in my opinion, this is an even more egregious act. These men are from within her own team and are supposed to be on her side, working with her, not against her.

It's a dog eat dog world out there, yes. It is tough enough to try to make it in this sport, let alone to be a woman trying to make it in this sport. But, having members of your own team setting you up to fail, makes it simply impossible.

It appears that Beth Ann Morgenthau has no clue, not only about racing, but about what is going on even within her own team.

I don't think you even have to be a fan of Ms. Robinson's', but of fairness in racing in general, to see that this is a wrong that needs to be righted.

Hopefully someone, somewhere will take this seriously enough to dig a little deeper. If what we hear is going on is found to be true, someone at the very least, should be fired, if not sued. Or if they are not going to let her race, she should be let out of her contract, ASAP.

You can send feedback to M.J. Hall at: Insider Racing News