Racing should be about competition; and beating the fastest 42 drivers, or in the Craftsman Truck Series, the fastest 35 drivers that you’re racing against. With NASCAR’s locked-in qualifiers policy, the fastest don’t always start, but that’s an argument for another day.

Limiting where a driver can make their debut, or how competitive they can be once they get into the field is absurd and flies in the face of any racing law or concept. It can’t happen, and shouldn’t even be considered.

Take Joey Logano’s highly-anticipated Sprint Cup debut, which if he qualifies will occur in this weekend’s race at Richmond. Coincidentally, this event is critical to a half-dozen drivers’ chance to compete for the 2008 Sprint Cup championship.

So what? That should have no effect on whether or not Logano’s eligible or is allowed to compete — and if he qualifies, how hard he should race with anyone since he’s trying to get into the same Victory Lane as the Cup points leader, the guys scrambling for the Chase field or the tail-enders barely hoping to qualify.

NASCAR has a well-developed system of advancing through the ranks and earning each “promotion” to the next level of competition. If such a system is in place, and obviously it’s followed when allowing drivers to “move up,” how could anyone consider limiting when a driver makes their debut?

If a driver’s allowed to attempt to qualify, any restrictions should end when they sign their entry coupon. What are you going to say, “Race hard but stay outta the way the last 20 laps if you’re near anyone who has more at stake?”

A driver with a reputation at stake will have to make the correct decisions throughout their career. They might as well start with start No. 1.

If such a ridiculous rule had been in place the opportunity to see one of the sport’s greatest drivers, Jeff Gordon, compete on the same stage with one of the three best of all time, Richard Petty, in “The King’s” final event would’ve been lost.

If a newcomer badly affects the outcome of a race, oh well, “that’s racing.”

It should be no other way.

• Dave Rodman, NASCAR.COM

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.

Let me preface this by saying Joey Logano is the real deal. He’s proven that in the Nationwide Series, where he won in just his third career start and has eight top-10s in 11 races. Heck, he’s probably better right now than half of the full-time drivers in the Cup Series. Forget about rookie of the year, he may take a Denny Hamlin-type leap into the Chase in 2009. But that should be the first time he drives in the Chase.

Letting Logano make his Cup Series debut this weekend at Richmond, however, sets a bad precedent. Well, not really… it’s been done before in the Chase. But it’s something NASCAR should not allow.

On Saturday, much will be on the line, and the stakes only getting higher in the 10 subsequent races that determine a champion. Having newcomers out there only muddles an already crowded grid.

It doesn’t take much for a wreck to become a chain reaction, collecting several cars in its wake. One mistake by an inexperienced driver could have implications for title contenders. Of course, even the best drivers can cause incidents, but that’s neither here nor there.

Whereas the Six Million Dollar Man was “better, stronger, faster,” a Cup car is bigger, heavier and faster than anything any would-be series-debut driver has raced before. Sure, they’ve had test sessions, but that cannot simulate race conditions when every lap is crucial.

Again, this is not about Logano, per se. In a car that hasn’t seen the track this year, he may not even make the race. But all by his self, I’m sure he will be able to qualify on time. He’ll probably even hold his own in the race. But it’s only fair to those who have been there all year and put themselves in a position to race for a championship for Logano, and all drivers like him, to debut at the beginning of a new season at a time when everyone starts fresh.

Ask yourself, if you were Clint Bowyer, David Ragan or Kasey Kahne, would you want to see that 02 car Saturday night?