Being themselves has cost drivers plenty in the wallet

Penalties and heavy fines will not stifle drivers personalities in 2008 according to NASCAR's head man Brian France.

Tony Stewart, arguably the sport's most candid and cantankerous character of the cast, says, "I'll believe that when I see it."

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Name calling, chest bumping, helmet throwing, middle-finger flipping and expletive blurting are all bad behaviors NASCAR fans love and have come to expect in recent years; the bolder the better.

In fact, fans at time encourage on-track confrontations. Just before the pseudo brawl ensued between Kevin Harvick and Juan Montoya at Watkins Glen International last season, you could hear the crowd calling for blood before the two drivers even made contact with one another (watch video).

Neither driver was fined for their trackside shoving match, but Stewart, whose name is on a list of those to pull down some of the sport's heaviest penalties, got dinged $25,000 for blurting a curse word during his televised victory interview at the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard last summer.

NASCAR has a rulebook listing actions detrimental to stock car racing; however enforcement is not always black and white. Judgments are handed out on a case-by-case basis. But what is very clear is that drivers don't want to be silenced; they want to spout freely without fear of retribution.

France is trying to find a balance between giving the drivers' what they want and ensuring transgressions don't escalate out of control.

Out of control as in perhaps the time ARCA driver Michael Simko went ninja-style on Don St. Denis at the Toledo Speedway and drop kicked his windshield? Perhaps that is out of control.

France said he is evaluating policies used in the past.

"I would certainly agree that we're re-looking and making sure that our policies of enforcement don't make it where our drivers can't express themselves," France said. "There are lots of characters in our sport. There's lots of emotion flying fast and heavy at the events."

Meanwhile, fans looking to satiate their appetite for drama and destruction need look no further than the Joe Gibbs Racing's Cup cast chalked full of fire and ice with Stewart, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch.

The trio is a Petri dish of personality just starting to grow into what fans hope is a side show full of raw talent packaged in amusement and emotion.

"This group of drivers we have is a great combination because we are all fiery and passionate about what we do. Personality wise, this is the best driver lineup we've ever had," Stewart said of his near decade-long tenure.

But if things get out of hand, count on NASCAR dropping the hammer once again. (Continued)