HAMPTON, Ga. – Robert Thomas Velline probably isn’t interesting in running NASCAR, but one of his hit songs suggests that he’s qualified.

            Velline is better known as Bobby Vee, and he released “Rubber Ball” (co-written by Gene Pitney) in 1961.

I’m like a rubber ball, baby, that’s all that I am to you

(Bouncy, bouncy, bouncy, bouncy)

Just a rubber ball ‘cause you think you can be true to two

(Bouncy, bouncy, bouncy, bouncy)

You bounce my heart around

(You don’t even put her down)

And like a rubber ball, I come bouncing back to you

(Hoo-ah-ooh-ooh)

            In January, the talk of the sport was NASCAR’s decision to, uh, “let ‘em race.” The ruling body had been too confining, and there’s really no getting around the unsaid message, which was, “Boys, you just ain’t wrecking enough.”

            NASCAR chairman Brian France pointedly called stock car racing “a contact sport,” adding, “We have got the best racing in the world, and what are the things that we can do to make it better. What are the things that we can do to open it up a little bit?”

            Combating a perception that the quality of the racing was declining – while at the same time firing salvos of statistics to dispute the notion – NASCAR held meetings with drivers in which they made the case for replacing control freaks with rioters. Before the Daytona 500, NASCAR relaxed restrictions on bump drafting and made an outlandish rule change that allows races to go into overtime by, well, as many as the 16 extra laps required to bring Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 500 to a messy, but colorful, conclusion.

            On Sunday, the rubber ball may have bounced away from NASCAR’s grasp again. The champion of “let ‘em race,” competition vice president Robin Pemberton, seemed to be hedging his bets again after a feud between Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski erupted into something akin to Hatfields and McCoys.

            Edwards and Keselowski have reached a stalemate befitting of the Old Testament. Keselowski launched Edwards skyward at Talladega almost a year ago. They’ve skirmished in the Nationwide Series. They clashed twice on Sunday, and the second time, it was Keselowski’s car that left the ground.

            “I would say there seems to be a history between those two drivers,” said Pemberton. “I’m not going to go any further into it right now.”

            History? You think?

            In January, NASCAR officials were talking about “letting drivers decide things among themselves” and obviously encouraging drivers to extol those same manly virtues.

            Now it looks like Edwards, who was banished from the final laps of the race, may face some sort of penalty for rough driving.

            NASCAR can’t make up its mind whether or it wants “24” or “Law and Order” in its prime-time lineup.

You may contact Monte Dutton at mdutton@gastongazette.com.