CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The late Bill France Jr. always said nobody was bigger than the show, and the NASCAR chairman showed little tolerance for those who lost sight of his mantra.
Robby Gordon became bigger than the show in Montreal when he threw a tantrum that derailed what should have been a shining moment for NASCAR.
That's what's at the heart of NASCAR's anger toward Gordon.
Two days after he disrupted the finish of the first Busch Series race in Canada, few are talking about what a smashing debut it was. Instead, the focus remains on Gordon, his suspension from Sunday's Nextel Cup event and speculation about any further punishment.
NASCAR has not said if Gordon will be allowed to race this weekend on the road course in Watkins Glen, N.Y., though it appeared Monday he will be spared a long suspension.
But top series officials are still seething. He disobeyed two directives, celebrated as if he had won a race from which he had been disqualified, then showed sheer defiance when he went before NASCAR to discuss it.
During the closing laps on the historic Circuit Gilles Villeneueve, a sold-out crowd was enjoying its introduction to NASCAR. Gordon was in second place behind Marcos Ambrose, a likable Australian who relocated to the U.S. in search of NASCAR success.
What happened next is confusing to many, including Gordon, who still hasn't accepted NASCAR's version of the events. There was a multicar accident following a restart with four laps to go when Gordon apparently passed Ambrose to take the lead.
Seconds later, Ambrose spun Gordon to reclaim the lead. The action clearly came under caution, when the field is supposed to be frozen. Gordon should have restarted the race either in first or second position.
But NASCAR said the spin made him unable to maintain that position. He was ordered back to 13th place, where he had blended into traffic after righting his turned car.
He refused to slide back into 13th place, and held down the second spot when the race resumed. That earned an instant disqualification.
Then he knocked Ambrose out of his way on the restart, a nudge everyone saw coming. Gordon says it was accidental contact; NASCAR had no doubt it was intentional and demanded he immediately pull off the track and park his car.
He ignored that order, too, and finished the race.
Technically, Gordon was the first driver to cross the finish line two laps later. So he behaved as if he were the winner, doing burnouts and pumping his arms when he climbed from the car. All the while, real winner Kevin Harvick was also celebrating.
Gordon's showboating was a ringing slap at NASCAR. To say president Mike Helton was livid is a profound understatement.
There are many who believe Gordon had a valid beef with NASCAR. The rule is confusing, NASCAR's decisions don't always make sense, and every ruling body is capable of making mistakes.