John Wes Townley cited for underage drinking

[harvick#1]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news?slug=ap-nascar-townley-underagedrinking&prov=ap&type=lgns


when are these guys ever gonna learn :rolleyes:

what happens in Vegas, won't stay in Vegas :p :

[Easy Drifter]

He would be legal in Ontario! :D

[Sparky1329]

Stupid kid.

[Mark in Oshawa]

I was in Vegas, I never saw that anyone gave a rat's behind about the drinking age or anything moral. People walking down the strip with a beer in their hands. So whether he is 21 or not is just a little farcical. I wont beat the guy up over it. You Americans are so anal about this stuff and the fact is if he is old enough to strap on the uniform and have to maybe toss his chest on a grenade for his mates, he is old enough to have a beer for crying out loud.

Was he drunk and disorderly? NO. Was he driving? NO. HE is 20...and the last time I looked, 20 year old adults in almost every jurisdiction besides most of the US states sold alcohol to people that age without an issue. So YES, he shouldn't have had a beer, but it is ironic that he could go to the Mustang Ranch without any hassle, but one beer is like corrupting his morality. I tell you this much, I don't have much of an opinion of his racing, but I like him a whole lot better already.....

[call_me_andrew]

I was in Vegas, I never saw that anyone gave a rat's behind about the drinking age or anything moral. People walking down the strip with a beer in their hands. So whether he is 21 or not is just a little farcical. I wont beat the guy up over it. You Americans are so anal about this stuff and the fact is if he is old enough to strap on the uniform and have to maybe toss his chest on a grenade for his mates, he is old enough to have a beer for crying out loud.

Was he drunk and disorderly? NO. Was he driving? NO. HE is 20...and the last time I looked, 20 year old adults in almost every jurisdiction besides most of the US states sold alcohol to people that age without an issue. So YES, he shouldn't have had a beer, but it is ironic that he could go to the Mustang Ranch without any hassle, but one beer is like corrupting his morality. I tell you this much, I don't have much of an opinion of his racing, but I like him a whole lot better already.....

The drinking age is 21 in the United States because the human brain continues to develope into the 20's. Morality isn't the issue. Some other countries are also considering raising their drinking ages.

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/increase-drinking-age-to-21-say-news-web-readers/story-e6frg12c-1225828410332

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/raise-drinking-age-to-21-says-think-tank-444911.html

I'm far more troubled by the fact that perscription drugs can be advertised on television, while cigarettes cannot.

[71Fan]

A drug is a drug is a drug. Some are controlled, some aren't.

And this is not about his age or his abillity to control his drinking or the morality of Nevada. Shucks, the Chicken Ranch is within 3 miles of my home. They needed a "Madam" a while back and I told the wife to go apply for the job.

Anyways....the point is that what he was doing was illegal. Whether the law is stupid or not has nothing to do with whether or not what he was doing somethin illegal.

And yup, I gotta agree....Stupid.

[slorydn1]

I wonder if RC is regretting his decision yet? :D

[Mark in Oshawa]

He's a BAD Man....terrible....did anyone find out if he was DRUNK???? C' mon...a beer?? Maybe the drinking age should be 21, but you are of course not naive enough to think anyone who wants a beer at 18 in the USA isn't finding beer? Sorry boys, what he did was "wrong" but I think RC probably is just chuckling to himself after he had to dress the guy down. This sport has had a guy on a heroin kick racing, and another one who was driving on meth, and somehow I don't see John Wes Townley sneaking a beer in a town that is rife with people drinking in public as something to get bent out of shape about.

[slorydn1]

He's a BAD Man....terrible....did anyone find out if he was DRUNK???? C' mon...a beer?? Maybe the drinking age should be 21, but you are of course not naive enough to think anyone who wants a beer at 18 in the USA isn't finding beer? Sorry boys, what he did was "wrong" but I think RC probably is just chuckling to himself after he had to dress the guy down. This sport has had a guy on a heroin kick racing, and another one who was driving on meth, and somehow I don't see John Wes Townley sneaking a beer in a town that is rife with people drinking in public as something to get bent out of shape about.

I was more talking about JWT's lack of talent and affinity towards tearing up race cars than a silly under aged drinking ticket (which I agree is moronic considering the fact we ship our 18 year olds to Iraq and Afganistan to get blown up by roadside bombs but we wont let them drink a beer).

That said, JWT is a racecar driver in the second most popular series in America, and as such that makes him a public person, and it was stupid of him to put himself in a situation that puts himself, his race team, and his sponsors in a bad light.

[Mark in Oshawa]

I was more talking about JWT's lack of talent and affinity towards tearing up race cars than a silly under aged drinking ticket (which I agree is moronic considering the fact we ship our 18 year olds to Iraq and Afganistan to get blown up by roadside bombs but we wont let them drink a beer).

That said, JWT is a racecar driver in the second most popular series in America, and as such that makes him a public person, and it was stupid of him to put himself in a situation that puts himself, his race team, and his sponsors in a bad light.

Slorydn, THAT is the right assessment. What he did was dumb, but not the end of the world. I don't consider it nearly as serious as alledgedly dumping a Security weenie on his tail at Homestead (Kasey Kahne) or being caught being just himself (Kurt Busch) and ticking off the law in Arizona.

Townley I am shocked has a RCR ride, but I suspect the last time anyone looked, Dale Earnhardt was no angel off the track, and he managed....

[Easy Drifter]

Considering NASCARs roots and the early heroes/legends it really is pretty funny.
Then look at the Cdn. Hockey women's Olymic Gold Medal winners, underage drinking on the ice, illegal smoking of cigars yet in the arena after the game and basically everyone just laughed. Oh there were a few knickers in a twist but the Vancouver authorities just said in effect 'Geez we don't know exactly who did it.' This despite pictures all over!

[Mark in Oshawa]

Considering NASCARs roots and the early heroes/legends it really is pretty funny.
Then look at the Cdn. Hockey women's Olymic Gold Medal winners, underage drinking on the ice, illegal smoking of cigars yet in the arena after the game and basically everyone just laughed. Oh there were a few knickers in a twist but the Vancouver authorities just said in effect 'Geez we don't know exactly who did it.' This despite pictures all over!

Well I can see why people may think it was stupid in that NASCAR's image in today's sponsor driven enviroment this isn't something you want on your CV. That said, some people were acting like he was the second coming of Aaron Fike.....I think perspective and reality kick in and people realize he isn't the first 20 year old to have a beer when he shouldn't, and not the last.

[71Fan]

Looking back to Kurt getting busted in Phoenix, Jack firing him, fan backlash, etc etc.....

The reaction to Townley as compared to Kurt (and/or others who have crossed "the line") imo is based not on the scene of the crime so to speak, but on a fan's like or dislike of the driver involved.

On one hand.....He's a role model and should held be to higher standards.
On the other.....He's a kid and kid's make mistakes.

Oh well, just the ramblings of some nut on a message board.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Looking back to Kurt getting busted in Phoenix, Jack firing him, fan backlash, etc etc.....

The reaction to Townley as compared to Kurt (and/or others who have crossed "the line") imo is based not on the scene of the crime so to speak, but on a fan's like or dislike of the driver involved.

On one hand.....He's a role model and should held be to higher standards.
On the other.....He's a kid and kid's make mistakes.

Oh well, just the ramblings of some nut on a message board.

Big difference. Drinking underage is something most people have done growing up. If you think otherwise, you are naive. Driving while under the influence when you are a racing driver is a FAR more dangerous and stupid act. Townley wasn't behind the wheel.....Kurt was. What Kurt did was braindead...and yet Roger Penske hired him anyhow. Gee, you think Townley's limited talent might really be the final arbiter of how his career goes?

[slorydn1]

Big difference. Drinking underage is something most people have done growing up.



:up: Hell, I drank 10 times as much in the 5 years before I turned 21 than I have in the 19 years since! :beer:

The friends I had back in the day usta' joke that the movie "Risky Business" was based on my life.....

What Happened? It became legal, and he luster wore off, and I grew up.

I honestly believe most underage drinking happens BECAUSE it's illegal. Its a rush to "stick it to the man" so to speak. At least it was for myself and my friends in the NW Suburbs of Chicago in the 1980's.

And I know, I know, if it wasn't illegal, it wouldn't be underage. Touche'.
But, one should know what I mean.

[Mark in Oshawa]

:up: Hell, I drank 10 times as much in the 5 years before I turned 21 than I have in the 19 years since! :beer:

The friends I had back in the day usta' joke that the movie "Risky Business" was based on my life.....

What Happened? It became legal, and he luster wore off, and I grew up.

I honestly believe most underage drinking happens BECAUSE it's illegal. Its a rush to "stick it to the man" so to speak. At least it was for myself and my friends in the NW Suburbs of Chicago in the 1980's.

And I know, I know, if it wasn't illegal, it wouldn't be underage. Touche'.
But, one should know what I mean.

I agree 100% and that was partially my point. People were condemning this guy for doing what most teens do as a rite of passage, and there isn't a parent alive if honest who doesn't know it. I cut the kid slack if I am RC. Chew him out for being in public and leave it at that...leave the discussion in house.

[71Fan]

It's not about cutting the kid some slack. It's about getting a sponsor to pay to put him in a car.

[Mark in Oshawa]

It's not about cutting the kid some slack. It's about getting a sponsor to pay to put him in a car.

Well the attitude I was getting was how horrible he was for doing this yadda yadda. His sponsor and RC are the only people he needs toanswer to, not us.

[71Fan]

Sorry if you took any of my comments that way. Shucks, I'm ready to give most anyone a break if they seem to have learned their lesson. As one of the Rules For Being Human goes....

Life is a series of lessons. All lessons will be repeated untill learned, at which time a new lesson will be presented.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Sorry if you took any of my comments that way. Shucks, I'm ready to give most anyone a break if they seem to have learned their lesson. As one of the Rules For Being Human goes....

Life is a series of lessons. All lessons will be repeated untill learned, at which time a new lesson will be presented.

True..and no I wasn't aiming my criticism at you in particular.