NASCAR Vigilante Justice at "No Limits, Texas"

The Texas Motor Speedway aggressively rebranded itself as "No Limits, Texas" for the AAA Texas 500. But along with showdowns in the wicked fast Wild West, it seems that there was some vigilante justice.

Jeff Gordon was leading for the Sprint Cup Series and also was vying for the lead during the AAA Texas 500.  As the race restarted, Keselowski slammed into Gordon, which cut his left rear tire and caused him to spin.  As Jeff Gordon told ESPN:

"We were sitting there on older tires. I spun the tires a little but I got a pretty decent restart. We went down into (turn) one and I just wanted to get to the outside of the 48 (Johnson) and and out of nowhere I just got slammed by the 2 and it cut my left-rear tire. He's just a dip---. The way he races, I don't know how he ever won a championship and I'm just sick and tired of it."

After the race, Gordon  yelled at Keselowski in the pits and then lunged at him.  This set off a wild melee between the two crews.  A Gordon crew member threw Keselowski to the ground.  In the end, both Gordon and Keselowski with blood on their lips and faces.  



Rodney Dangerfield famously joked about confusing boxing and hockey games.  With yet another instance of vigilante justice off the track, is NASCAR taking ice hockey's place for pugilism?

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h/t: The Sporting News

Dale Earnhardt Jr. on "No Limits, Texas"

The AAA Texas 500 has been held on the first Sunday in October  at the Texas Motor Speedway in unincorporated land in the north Fort Worth area since the race's inception in 2005.  While the locale is the same, this year the AAA Texas 500 will be held in "No Limits, Texas".  

The No Limits Texas theme is the third evolution of a marketing campaign to give a distinctive character to NASCAR racetracks West of the Mississippi.  The No Limits, Texas rebranding of the Texas Motor Speedway is mean to recall showdowns in the "wicked fast" West. 

The No Limits, Texas campaign is going to great lengths to promote itself.  Aside from new signage at TMS, there is a redesigned website, concerted media campaign, and some edgy marketing.  In the TV spot, NASCAR driver Matt Kenseth is featured getting a "No Limits" tattoo.  And there is the tradition of celebrating by raising six shooters.

Will edgy marketing continue to propel the Texas Motor Speedways trek towards the top in NASCAR.  Today may be a strong challenge to that fast and furious aspiration.  Today the U.S. Grand Prix is being held at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.  Any Sunday in the Fall is a big NFL Football Day.  And hunting season just opened in Texas.   We will soon see who triumphs in the draw for fan support between NASCAR, F1, NFL and game hunting fans on the Sunday sports shootout.