Bribes in NASCAR: Paul Menard’s Unheard $225,000 Daytona Fee That Was Quietly Swept Under the Rugs

2010 was shaping up to be a monumental year for Paul Menard in the Nationwide Series (now known as Xfinity) but the opener at Daytona placed him 49th in the qualifying row, putting his dreams of a title in great jeopardy. But his problems would quickly disappear when car owner Jack Roush pulled out his wallet.

While it seemed to be impossible for Menard to be able to qualify with five other cars lined up ahead of him, Roush’s efforts to buy off other underfunded teams by either offering performance-related incentives with engineering support or with financial capital paid off, and Menard barely made it through in the 43rd spot. But how did all the stars perfectly line up for Menard and the #98 car despite Jack Roush’s deep pockets?

Cash is truly King

In order to determine the bottom ten contenders that would qualify for the opener, NASCAR officials decided to make the use of a draw system, and unfortunately, luck did not favor Jack Roush and Co. Menard would find himself placed behind the No. 52 of Donnie Neuenberger, the No. 96 of Dennis Setzer, the No. 49 of Mark Green and the No. 42 of Parker Kligerman.

As difficult as it may have seemed for any team to sway the operations of so many others, for Jack Roush, it turned out to be quite a simple task. In a feat hardly seen before, Jack Roush pulled some strings and there was Paul Menard starting off the race at the 43rd spot.

While no team revealed the exact figures of how much they were paid, when we take into account such rewards, the damages incurred by Roush’s wallets could not have been shy of $225,000. Although it may have costed Roush quite the fortune, the plan certainly paid off.

Nationwide driver and owner of the #26 Brian Keselowski, which withdrew to make room for Menard, was quoted by FrontStretch. “What they’re willing to offer, I need as much help as I can get to be competitive. Be it money, engineering support, whatever, they come around and offer it to people and that’s their right. I needed some money; with the 10% paycut on the races, it’s looking pretty bleak to try to survive,” the driver said.

In an era where there were financial giants on one end competing with blue collar dreamers, money was truly king. While teams would love to win big on track, any extra earnings that came their way were more than welcome.

Keselowski further added, “I could have been a real prick about it. But that’s not going to benefit me either way. I wasn’t going to make a dime. So, why would I do that? In the future, if people don’t like you now, it’s not a good thing. You need all the help you can get and you don’t want to rub anybody the wrong way if you don’t have to.”

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On one end, many teams that backed out in favor of Menard’s bid for qualification felt that the deal handed out to them by Jack Roush was more than fair in the real world. But on the other hand, many believed it was NASCAR’s qualifying procedures that were being unfair to them all.

Did NASCAR’s qualifying procedure inevitably lead to Jack Roush’s actions?

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While many rejoiced at their newfound wealth owing to the #98’s owner, other teams such as Means Racing weren’t all that cheerful. You see, their entire entry had been sponsored by their partner iHop, meaning that their disqualification came with great ramifications on the corporate end. This also led Keselowski to point out how NASCAR’s decision to choose the final qualifiers on the basis of a draw meant all the money spent by teams to prepare for the big event was essentially a big gamble.

The driver shared, “I really cannot believe that they look you in the eyes and tell you that the reason you’re not in this race, after you spent every single dime you possibly could, is because somebody drew a number. It completely eliminates the legitimacy of what we’re doing. I just can’t believe we don’t even get a chance. Everyone should have an [equal] shot to make the race.”

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On one side, the promotion of Menard in the qualifying draw showcased just how vital cash is to success in motorsport, but on the other hand, it also highlighted NASCAR’s poor decisions around the qualifying procedures. Who do you think was in the wrong?