Journalists Not Happy 03 February 2001 Dear Mr Fischel I am sure GM employed the services of the Earnhardt papa and son team for the good of the sport. I fail to see, however, how this benefits anyone when bona fide journalists are threatened with jail when they ask to speak to any one of your eight drivers. Hiring goons on the door is all very well, and we can even forgive chains across the front of the garages to keep out the drooling fans who worship two of your drivers, but having presented my case as an accredited European journalist who flew 4000 miles to cover this event, I do not appreciate the goon stating that I would have my pass taken away and that I would be thrown into the nearest clink. I understand that the Earnhardts wish to take part in further events in your cars. On behalf of the international press, please make sure they don't. Andrew Cotton If the reason that GM decided that having the so called elite of NASCAR pedaling a Vette around the banks for the good of the sport, so be it. But denying access to full time journalists who fall outside the closed world of the good ol'boys is simply poor marketing. I am not nor any of my colleagues number 3 T-shirt wearing Earnhardt "Fan-actics", we have a job to do and this cavalier attitude towards our profession can only diminsh our desire to cover GM's sportscar and GT racing activites. The world does not revolve around NASCAR. That is a lesson GM learned after Le Mans last year. Success in any program can only be achieved with better access. Kerry Morse Copyright ©2000-©2023 TotalMotorSport