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Johnny Cochran: "Gentlemen break up your engines!"
RPM.ESPN.com ^ | 4.8.02

Posted on 04/26/2002 8:25:04 AM PDT by mhking

Suit alleges NASCAR monopoly
ESPN.com news services

High profile attorney Johnnie Cochran is taking on NASCAR, claiming the sanctioning body has a monopoly over stock car racing.

The Orlando Sentinel reports that a federal lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Sherman, Texas, on Feb. 13 on behalf of the shareholders of Speedway Motorsports Inc., the parent company of Texas Motor Speedway. The suit claims that NASCAR is a monopoly entity by owning both the governing body and by having controlling interest in International Speedway Corp., the company that operates 13 major auto tracks.

That (breaking up NASCAR/ISC) is the logical end result, and we have the legal counsel to do it," Cochran told the paper. "In addition, we have the resolve."

In the suit, Texas Motor Speedway is asking for a second racing date. Of the 36 races on the Winston Cup tour, 18 are run on ISC tracks. Of the past four expansion race dates granted by NASCAR, three have gone to ISC facilities. Of the past five granted, another date went to California Speedway, which was later acquired by ISC.

Texas Motor Speedway is not owned by ISC and wants a second date. If one is granted, the suit may be dropped, according to Cochran. TMS owner Bruton Smith has long claimed that NASCAR had promised a second date to Texas, but NASCAR denies that claim.

"The antitrust allegations illustrate how there is no other remedy for Speedway Motorsports," Samuel Cherry, a partner of Cochran, told the Sentinel. "They just can't create a second event, a NASCAR-formatted race, of their own. It's impossible."

NASCAR president Mike Helton told the paper that NASCAR will not comment on pending litigation, while league vice president of communications Jim Hunter described the suit as being "absolutely without foundation."


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: antitrust; civilrightswhore; law; monopoly; nascar; povertypimp; sports
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To: DJ88
This isn't really about breaking up NASCAR. It's about getting a second race weekend at Texas, which I wholeheartedly support.

The races at Michigan and California are BORING.

21 posted on 04/26/2002 12:54:13 PM PDT by Dog Gone
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To: DJ88
take a few laps under the yellow flag and relax
22 posted on 04/26/2002 12:56:57 PM PDT by breakem
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To: Dog Gone
Well, I know what it's about. Bruton Smith has been whining and complaining for years about this, when NASCAR promised him nothing of the kind.
23 posted on 04/26/2002 1:00:57 PM PDT by DJ88
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To: breakem
Yeah, okay. Take the black flag and park you car. ;-)
24 posted on 04/26/2002 1:01:40 PM PDT by DJ88
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To: DJ88
Well, they told him that Texas couldn't get another date unless the track was resurfaced. Now that it has been, he's mad.

It certainly was a poor choice of attorney on his part, though.

Actually, if I ran NASCAR, we'd only have two tracks, Talladega and Bristol. ;-)

25 posted on 04/26/2002 1:06:37 PM PDT by Dog Gone
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To: mhking
NASCAR is the model of racial harmony. Just look at the checkerd flag. Black and white squares living in harmony celebrating the wining driver.
26 posted on 04/26/2002 1:12:36 PM PDT by Lost Highway
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To: chiefqc
"...sewer...spreading it around again..." You have that correct!

That (breaking up NASCAR/ISC) is the logical end result, and we have the legal counsel to do it," Cochran told the paper. "In addition, we have the resolve."This is the exact same sentence he has said regarding 'Reparations'.You've been forewarned,this is his standard statement.

27 posted on 04/26/2002 5:28:56 PM PDT by Pagey
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To: mhking
Looks like Johnny is picking up where Jesse left off
28 posted on 04/26/2002 5:51:06 PM PDT by Mo1
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To: Dog Gone
I'd have to vote for Bristol and Martinsville - I love the short tracks and can't stand restrictor plate racing.

I say send Johnny to a DE/DE Jr. Fan Club Meeting - if he comes out of that alive he deserves a shot in court.

Just another college educated, female, lifetime NASCAR Fan (and yes, I have all my teeth too!).....GO RUSTY!!

29 posted on 04/26/2002 6:03:44 PM PDT by Clintons Are White Trash
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To: Clintons Are White Trash;Dog Gone
Clintons...ROFLMAO!!! Great idea! Let's send in to the same meeting: Jimmy Spencer, Robby Gordon, (although he'll probably get beat up), Rusty, Sterling, Michael Waltrip...just send in all the "bad boys" of racing. Jeez.

Dog Gone...well, I like your choice of tracks....Talladega is a great race always..(well usually), but my favorite is Bristol..you get to see racing up close and personal..and I love all that "rubbin' is racin'" that goes on there, too! :-) That's where you see tempers flare and grudges returned (sometimes 3-fold). I remember one time when I was at Bristol, and Dale Earnhardt knocked Terry Labonte out of the way, and then he won. My brother took me down to Victory Lane, and there were so many police officers, state troopers etc. surrounding him that if you didn't know any better, you'd a thunk (LOL) he was President! ;-) He made a hasty exit that night! However, I got to meet his crew, and got my picture taken with "Chocolate" the gas guy...and I know how he got his name. ;-) Lots of fights afterwards, too.

Bruton Smith does not have a lot of smarts. He has Atlanta and Bristol. Almost everytime I went to a race in Atlanta, I swear it rained. There was a race there in 1998? I think when it rained so hard that they decided to cancel the race. The fans all went home (and if you've ever been to Atlanta, that's a feat in itself). We decided to hang out and parked the 'Burb under a tent, drank beer and ate the rest of our food. Well, it's a good thing we did, because the drivers and team owners went to NASCAR and told them they wanted to finish the race because they had to go to Japan the next week. So, back in we trudged. We got to sit in the Winston Tower seats, because no one was there (well, there were SOME people there) and we saw JG get his 1998 Winston Cup Championship. I swear right after he hit the checkered flag, it started raining again. The funniest part was that when we got back to the hotel, people were sitting there in disbelief in front of the TV watching the closing ceremonies. :-) They all thought they were going back the next day to see a race. :-(

30 posted on 04/29/2002 6:26:41 AM PDT by DJ88
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To: DJ88
What a bunch of great memories! I have never attended a Bristol race, and I hope to before long. It's great.

My favorite NASCAR memory is at Talladega. Bobby Hillin was filling in for Davey Allison who had broken his arm at Pocono the week before, and he took his good friend and me into the garage before the race. We even sat in the Drivers Meeting, although we weren't supposed to be there. What a treat!

31 posted on 04/29/2002 6:56:36 AM PDT by Dog Gone
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To: Dog Gone
Yes, thanks to my brother, I have a BUNCH of great memories...he's done things for me that I will never be able to pay him back for. When we went to Bristol, we sat in the NASCAR suite...I sat next to Mike Helton's wife. Let me tell you something..I don't care HOW fancy they look on TV, they STILL like to party! :-) You could have a 1/2 beer left in your cup and before you know it, you're being handed another one! LOL!

Sometimes, I am so freeping dumb...I was suppossed to give the MCI Pole Award check to Mike Skinner at the Bristol Fall race in 1999. So, I was suppossed to be on stage with all these "people" and my brother had me practicing my speech for 3 frigging days! Then, I had to go back up to the tower, put on a fancy outfit and come back down to the track for the Opening Ceremonies. So here comes DJ, in a skirt/suit, and a TN Highway Patrolman stops me at the track entrance and say, "You can't go in there dressed like that. You have to have on PANTS." I said, "No, I don't." My brother just gave that "look" as in "SHUT UP" and explained to him what I was doing. ;-) Then, I was walking past Bill Elliot's crew and they all yelled out, "Hey, Colleen!!!" I could not figure out HOW they knew my NAME!!! So I turned to my brother, who's firm belief that I am a dingbat was doubly confirmed with the following question: "Hey! How in the world do they know my name????" He looked at me for a long time and then said, "You idiot. It's right on your NASCAR name tag!!!!!" ROFLOL!!!! Well, let's just say that it's a good thing I can laugh at myself. He still teases me about that. I never did get to hand out the check (some other customer did it and she flubbed the whole thing!!!!!) Then, as I was walking up the 4,000 steps back to the suite, this very drunk lady???? said to me, "Who da hell you think you are, someakinda moving star or somthing? I ougta slap you silly." Sheesh! I said, "Go ahead, try it. You'd probably miss by 3 miles, fall over the balcony, split your head open, and then we would have to red-flag the race and ruining everyone's evening. So, go ahead, give it your best shot. But be careful....you're drunk, I'm not, and my hands are quicker than yours." Her husband then turned and told her to "shut the damn hell up you stupid beep beep beep beep". Oh my...the things you see at a race. ;-)

And I will tell you this....if you ever get a chance to go to Bristol, GO!!!!! It's well worth it! :-)

32 posted on 04/29/2002 7:24:49 AM PDT by DJ88
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To: Dog Gone
"Actually, if I ran NASCAR, we'd only have two tracks, Talladega and Bristol. ;-) "

Very good choices. If I ran NASCAR I would pull the POCONO races and give them to tracks where you actually see the race. Pocono is a super facility if seeing the race is not your objective. Too bad, they did everything else right.

33 posted on 04/29/2002 7:34:05 AM PDT by Wurlitzer
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To: DJ88
Oh man, that is too funny. I'd love to see how you were dressed if there was some doubt about letting you in. NASCAR races aren't known for their dress codes, LOL!
34 posted on 04/29/2002 7:40:01 AM PDT by Dog Gone
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To: Wurlitzer
I enjoyed my visit to the Poconos to attend the race. All except for the actual race. It might have been the best race I never saw.

Turn 2 is somewhere over the horizon in Canada, I think.

35 posted on 04/29/2002 7:42:16 AM PDT by Dog Gone
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To: Dog Gone
Last year my wife, daughter and I left after 20 laps. We sat 30 rows up right across from the first pit stall. I could only see the cars in the pit before the race and for about 1 second as they entered the backstretch turn. It was easy getting out of the parking log though.

I wrote them a letter which the promptly ignored.

36 posted on 04/29/2002 7:47:38 AM PDT by Wurlitzer
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To: Dog Gone
LOL...no I don't mean into the seating area, Dog Gone! I meant onto the infield! LOL! Women are not allowed to wear tank tops in the garage or pits area..and you have to wear pants and closed-toed shoes there if you are a man or a woman. I was trying to get into the infield and make my way over the stage....but the State Trooper saw too much "leg", lol....(I think NASCAR frowns upon that, too! Distracting the crew)..that's why he wasn't going to let me in!!!! ;-)

But you're right....I've seen some pretty interesting outfits myself! ;-)

37 posted on 04/29/2002 7:50:30 AM PDT by DJ88
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To: Dog Gone;Wurlitzer
ROFLOL!!!!! When we first moved to Atlanta in 1982, my Dad decided to "treat" the family to a NASCAR race...at the old Atlanta speedway. There was 6 of us. So, my Dad went up to the ticket window and came back with a grin a mile wide....he said, "GUESS WHAT, KIDS!!!! We are in the FRONT ROW!!!"

3 HOURS and 6 deaf people later, we realized that the front row is not where you want to sit at a NASCAR race!!!! I also got a nice piece of rubber from a tire embedded into my lip. ;-) I think it was from Bill Elliot's car, but I couldn't see. *grins*

38 posted on 04/29/2002 7:54:06 AM PDT by DJ88
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To: mhking
Just dawned on me it could be ESPN et al who're partly behind this.
I mean...
ESPN/ABC Cap Cities have got to be smarting as all getout over losing the NASCAR venue to the come-lately duo of Fox & NBC.

ESPN/ABC sure would know who the perfect Magic Bullet sheister would be, too.
That *one* clown who'd garner the most attention?

...& the one who'll scream, "RACISM!!" the instant anything goes awry?

39 posted on 04/29/2002 8:01:04 AM PDT by Landru
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To: DJ88
"I also got a nice piece of rubber from a tire embedded into my lip. ;-) I think it was from Bill Elliot's car, but I couldn't see. *grins* "

Hope you were not seriously hurt and that you kept the piece of tire.

40 posted on 04/29/2002 8:06:10 AM PDT by Wurlitzer
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