AJ Should be suspended

[stuck]

Sorry, just the way I feel about it.
Park him the rest of the year and talk about it later.
This is inexcusable.

[revilo]

There is no excuse for this error in judgment, but let's take a look at some comparisons.
We have Mark McGwire, who juiced himself on God knows what to improve his hitting in baseball. He was just hired as the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals and the commissioner is thrilled for him. Pete Rose, who admittedly bet on baseball games not involving his own team has received a lifetime ban. Something isn't right here.
Recently a man was found to have sexually assaulted a three year old boy. The boy's father and another man beat him unconscious with bricks in retaliation. Guess who will receive the lighter sentence? The sexual predator. HMMMMM.
AJ Almendinger has a couple drinks and gets pulled over. He blows .08, and readily admits he did something wrong. Now we have calls for suspension and hints that sponsorship may be affected. Meanwhile Junior Johnson, a man convicted of being a bootlegger and rum-runner, is hailed as one of the greatest ever in NASCAR.
Sorry, I just don't think it's that big a deal, of course I live in an area where people collect DUI's like parking tickets. Maybe I've just grown accustomed to it.

[pb1945]

I wouldn't argue with you about that.

That should get his attention.

If there was a second he wouldn't have to ask if he was going to leave.

pb ;D

[Ryount45]

That is stupid hard on him. If the man blew a .3 than yea ok lets talk but good god he blew a .08 as many have stated thats 2 damned beers. Next time you screw up Stuck make sure you suspend yourself from work for a month! This is sickening hearing all these people act like AJ killed a baby!

[ricklou]

Carl Longs engine failed it's breathaliser test

Jeremy Mayfield can run Daytona at 200mph but cant find a testing facility.

Lets talk about Pete Rose. There is no comparison as his complicity caused him being banned for life. He deserves it. Shoeless Joe Jackson was banned almost 100 years ago and it still sticks because he helped throw a game.

AJ blowing an 08 means he broke the law. Because he has bank it will be much easier and if convicted he will still have to do all kinds of stuff. AJ's deal does not compare. AJ will pay money, he has been embarassed and humiliated. Maybe RP should bench him for the remainder. Jack Roush canned Kurt Bush a few back when he acted like an idiot.

Do I think less of AJ ? No. He will come through this.

[songsmith1950]

In many states .08 is not even a DUI. But yes he made a mistake. Park him? I don't think we have to do that. Another one and he should be gone but let's let him do atonement for this one.
I don't know how Bud will like it or Best Buy. I guess we will just have to see about that.
Not good.

[stuck]

I knew this wouldn't be popular. If it were certain other drivers, some of you may want him banned for life.

[revilo]

Hey, Stuck, that's what we're here for. We talk about topics of interest and post our opinions. My opinion may be different than your, but that doesn't make either one of us a bad person. On this subject, I can see where someone would want to throw the book at AJ, or any other driver, for DUI if they have had a bad personal experience involving a drunk driver. I have been fortunate so far to avoid that kind of thing, but I know my feelings would change if I lost a loved one to a drunk driver.
The comments I posted were for the offense, not the offender. I would have said the same thing if it was any other driver.
I know you aren't the kind of person to hold back on expressing your opinion, even if it may not be popular, and that is one of the things we all respect about you. Keep it up. We need you.

[twiss43]

Dinger admits he made a mistake. Nascar puts him on probation for actions detrimental to stock car racing (I hate this comment everytime I read it) Michael Waltrip has his second alcohol related incident on the road (that we know about) and no one says anything about it. Waltrip caused someone to be injured. I don't understand why one person needs to be lynched and the other person says oops and carries on. Is it because Waltrip is so pro Nascar on broadcasts that he gets special treatment. Fair is Fair.

[loanshark]

wrong is wrong, but I'm not ready to throw him under the bus. He owned up to it, so I'm ready to forgive. I have made many mistakes in life, and I am glad I had friends and family to support me. Don't throw stones when you live in a glass house is my motto. Everyone makes mistakes.

[pmossberg]

Celebrity can work for you and against you.

In situations like this, I think it works against you.

If one of us was pulled over for a suspected DUI, I don't think our colleagues would be clamoring for our suspension or dismissal. Yet because he is in the public eye, here we are saying AJ should be suspended, or even fired.

Wrong is wrong. But AJ hasn't been convicted of anything yet. And if he is, I'm sure he'll fulfill whatever penalties the judge imposes. That penalty should not incude losing his job.

[dstanbery]

Give me a BREAK! It's a point .08,for those of us that enjoy a couple of beers with dinner or a couple of glasses of wine on date night we would all be guilty of the same damn thing,so for those who do drink and are casting stones at the man just think about it,you probably have done the same thing and just have not gotten caught.

[ricklou]

I have done that many times and have been there. Over 13,000 people a year die because of drunk driving. No explanation is needed.

[donmoos]

I would agree with you Stuck, Unfortunately NASCAR has not done it in the past for others.

Would you also suspend Mikey W. for his accident while blowing a .06, it's takes a lot of hiding ones head in the sand to not believe that alcohol played a role in his accident.

I wouldn't fault RPM for taking Punative action but NASCAR needs to be consistant with its treatment.

[pmossberg]

Should he really be suspended?

If you get stopped on Saturday night and receive a DUI ticket...when you arrive at your day job on Monday morning, should your boss fire you? Or send you home?

At a minimum, should an employer do this based on an accusation but without a conviction?

I agree with a zero tolerance policy on the road. Do the crime, do the time, to coin a phrase.

But when the person's job has nothing to do with their actions off the job, I believe the employer has no place inserting themselves as prosecutor, judge and jury.