Tony Stewart Does Not Like Your Stupid Question

((HT: Deadspin))

And he shouldn't...

Smoke is right there with Nick Saban, John Tortorella, and every other person in the sports-entertainment industry that doesn't like it when someone asks a question that is stupid from the green flag-waving instant that it's asked...

Pure Stupid Media 101 Gold...
((HT: ESPN/NASCAR/LeoneFan))


Just wanted to let you know you're in the lead...

Danica Patrick go Boom...

Well, NASCAR's new wonder kid got her 1st Nationwide Race experience today and quite an experience it was. She was cruising along in 21st place during the DRIVE4COPD300/Impossible to read fast race at Daytona when she got caught up in the leftovers of a crash that happened in front of her.

The story from the Orlando Sentinel RIGHT HERE

((Danica seems to draw a crowd//Courtesy: Gary W.Green/Orlando Sentinel))

The wreck was pretty unavoidable, though from what the experts are saying is something that a veteran might have been able to avoid. She had struggled early in the race, expressing some confusion over restart rules and also stalled her car on pit row at one point. She would finish in the back of the pack, the race would be one by Tony Stewart.

Every indication from the NASCAR folks is that she should be able to make the adjustment to stock car racing. Though different from the Indy Cars she primarily drives, indications are she has the skillset to be competitive. However, we may not find out until 2014, when her contract with Andretti Green Racing ends.

Here is video of said incident...at least until the 4-letter word pulls it. Thanks TwahLah and the You Tube:

Harvick Wants Out At RCR...?

((HT: ESPN/Newton))

Richard Childress Racing driver Kevin Harvick ((pictured, thanks autoracingdaily.com)) would like to be released from the final year of his contract that expires in 2010, a source close to the situation said on Wednesday.

"He's making that evident," the source said.

Harvick is 25th in points and hasn't won a Sprint Cup race since the 2007 Daytona 500.

According to a report on SI.com, Harvick would like to move to Stewart-Haas Racing and take his primary sponsor, Shell/Pennzoil, with him. The report said Shell's contract expires after this season, but multiple sources told ESPN.com the deal runs through 2010.

Sources added that it is unlikely RCR owner Richard Childress would let both the driver and sponsor go, particularly in today's economic climate.

In a statement released Wednesday, Richard Childress Racing said it expected Harvick to honor his contract.

"Richard Childress Racing has a multiyear contract with Shell-Pennzoil that includes the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. Shell-Pennzoil remains a great partner for RCR and Kevin Harvick as well as our sport overall. RCR also has a multiyear contract with Kevin Harvick that includes the 2010 season. That said, Shell will be the sponsor and Kevin will be the driver of RCR's No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet Impala SS in 2010."

Harvick moved into a full-time Cup ride for RCR in 2001 after the death of Dale Earnhardt. He has since formed his own Truck Series and Nationwide Series teams under Kevin Harvick Inc. Before that he drove in the Truck Series for Spears Motorsports.

Tony Stewart and SHR teammate Ryan Newman are among several drivers sharing a ride in Harvick's No. 33 Nationwide car this season. Among the sponsors are Old Spice and Army, which are primary sponsors for Stewart's Cup team.

A spokesman for Harvick had no comment when contacted by ESPN.com.

UPDATE: Richard Childress, pretty much, squashed it... at SI.com

Kevin Harvick is under contract with Richard Childress Racing for one more season, and the team expects him to drive the No. 29 in 2010.

RCR released a statement Wednesday responding to a report on SI.com that Harvick wanted out of his deal and was hopeful of moving to Stewart-Hass Racing.

Richard Childress says RCR has a multiyear contract with Harvick and sponsor Shell-Pennzoil. Childress says "Shell will be the sponsor and Kevin will be the driver of RCR's No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet Impala SS in 2010."

Harvick is 25th in the points standing this season. He hasn't won a Cup race since the 2007 Daytona 500.

Here's that win at Daytona in 2007
((HT: NASCAR on FOX))

Smoke Wins Daytona Race, Busch Wrecks On Last Lap

((HT: Orlando Sentinel/Tania Ganguli))

Kyle Busch got out of his demolished car and went straight toward Victory Lane as he pulled off his gloves ((pictured, thanks Orlando Sentinel/Jacob Langston)).

He didn't win the race Saturday night, but he had a score to settle with the guy who did. Four officials got in his way, grabbed him and forced him toward the infield care center where he was examined and released.

Minutes before that, Busch tried to make a blocking move to win the Coke Zero 400. As he turned his nose in front of Tony Stewart, Stewart stayed straight. Busch went across Stewart's hood, up the track and crashed into the outside wall.

"You don't want a race to be won like that," Stewart said. "I don't feel as much gratification from winning this race as I probably should just because I don't like the way the outcome happened. It's a product of the racing like [crew chief] Darian Grubb said. I guess tomorrow I might be happier about it."

Four weeks after Stewart's first race win as a team owner, he won again after starting from the pole. It was Stewart's third win in Daytona's July race.

"The guys are racing," said Jimmie Johnson, who finished second. "Tony didn't mean to dump him. Same thing with Talladega. It's just restrictor-plate racing."

The race-ending wreck played out similarly to the race-ending wreck at Talladega Superspeedway in April. The driver in the lead (Carl Edwards) attempted a block in that race, too. The driver behind him (rookie Brad Keselowski) didn't budge to allow the block. Unlike that April crash, Busch's car didn't fly up into the air and hit the catchfence or lead to any fan injuries.

Four drivers had a shot at the win on the race's final restart with four laps to go: Stewart, Busch, Denny Hamlin and Johnson.

Try as they did, though, none of the latter three could get by Stewart's No. 14 Chevrolet. Then suddenly there was a chance.

Hamlin had a decision to make. He could push his former teammate, Stewart, or he could push his current Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Busch. He picked Busch.

"The best chance for one of our cars to win was for me to push the 18," Hamlin said.

The battle that ensued led to disaster for Busch. After Stewart sent the No. 18 up the track, Busch's car was hit twice more — once from behind by Kasey Kahne and once from the side by teammate Joey Logano.

((HT: NASCAR/TNT/TSN))
Here's your finish...

Stewart Gets Revenge In Nationwide Series Race At Daytona

Tony Stewart must have channeled all that anger from Goodyear on his way to taking the checkers in the Camping World 300 Nationwide race Saturday at Daytona International Raceway.

Stewart had to hold off his former Joe Gibbs Racing team mate Kyle Busch to cross the finish line first.

So all was not lost for Stewart Haas Racing at Daytona.

Here's the finish from the 4-letter [HT: ESPN/You Tube]

Tony Stewart On Goodyear Tires - They Blow

Tony Stewart is not a happy man on the eve of the Daytona 500. During the final Cup practice Saturday His Stewart-Haas Racing team mate Ryan Newman blew a tire, a Goodyear tire, and collected Stewart damaging his primary car and forcing Newman to go to his second back up car for the Great American Race Sunday.

Newman's tire blowout lead to another blow up on Goodyear tires by Tony Stewart.

"It's just a Goodyear right-rear tire," Stewart said. "So it's the same thing everybody has been talking about all week. It's the same stuff that we always talk about every year -- the failures that Goodyear has. I think that's part of their marketing campaign. The more we talk about it, the more press they get. I think they forget that it's supposed to be in a good way, not a bad way."

"It was just unfortunate." Ryan Newman said. "We took out my teammate. I don't even know who else was caught up in it. I'm just disappointed in the situation Goodyear has put us in. ... It is ridiculous the situation we are in with these tires."

Tony Stewart has had an issue with Goodyear tires for quite a while. He's not at all happy that NASCAR insists on using one tire manufacturer and not open to competition. While racing in other types of cars, Stewart uses Hoosier tires.

"It's just frustrating because the gold-and-blue down there [where Goodyear is located in the Daytona garage] are the cause of another deal," Stewart said. "I'm just so tired of talking about Goodyear, it's ridiculous. I'm just over it."

Yeah right, you are over it... not. I willing to bet Goodyear tires aren't on his personal vehicle.

"Apparently this is their marketing strategy to get press. I'm just tired of talking about them, tired of them being an issue. And us talking about them right now isn't going to change anything because it falls on deaf ears and won't change." Stewart said.

When asked if he still had a chance to win the Daytona 500 Stewart shot back, "I don't know, rocket scientist. I'm sitting here with a backup car. What do you think?" Well I guess it doesn't take a scientific rocket to figure out Stewart chances are pretty much blown as well as his SHR team mate Ryan Newman.

Of course Goodyear Tires has a different perspective. Stu Grant, Goodyear's director of worldwide racing, is insisting the company brought a competent tire for the Daytona 500 and Newman's blowout has caused by a puncture from debris.

"It's obviously something that was on the race track." Grant said. "It could have been something that had fallen off one of the cars ahead of him. It could have been something that laid on the pavement for a while, and as the cars went by it moved it to a configuration where it could puncture a tire. We see a lot of those kinds of cases."

As for Stewart, he's not ready to make nice with Goodyear.

"Don't get them anywhere near me," Stewart said when asked if he had spoken to any Goodyear officials. "Don't bring them anywhere close; don't let them come close. I don't want anything to do with them."

Here's the wreck from our friends at Speed.

Joe Gibbs Racing Wins (?) One...

JGR wanted NASCAR to look at the penalties assessed for placing magnetic spacers under the gas pedals a while back in order to mess with the dyno testing after the Michigan race. JGR drivers Joey Logano ((pictured, thanks nascar.com)) and Tony Stewart caught all sorts of holy hell over this one...

JGR appealed their probations and involvement...
The appeal process is o-vuh...
The end ruling from NASCAR... ahem... quote...

"...On September 3, 2008, the National Stock Car Racing Commission heard and considered the appeal of Joe Gibbs Racing. The appeal concerned two penalties issued by NASCAR to drivers Tony Stewart and Joey Logano.

Briefly, the penalties concern Section 12-4-A of the NASCAR Rule Book “Actions detrimental to stock car racing,” Section 8-9 Competitive Analysis – From time to time, NASCAR may determine, in the interest of competition that it is necessary or appropriate to undertake an analysis of the performance capabilities of a car, car part, component or equipment. The Competitor shall take whatever steps are requested by NASCAR Officials for this purpose. NASCAR also has the right to seal or impound cars, car parts, components and/or equipment for this purpose. NASCAR is not responsible for payment, reimbursement, damage or loss to the Competitor as a result of such analysis, sealing or impounding,” Section 12-4-Q (1) “Any determination by NASCAR Officials that a car, car component, engine, engine component, or any other part or related equipment used in the Event does not conform to NASCAR Rules, detailed in Section 20A of the Rule Book, or has not been approved by NASCAR prior to the Event, or is not required for the normal functional operation of the race car, or has been altered to detract from or compromise its integrity or effectiveness, whether operational or not,” and Section 12-4-K “When NASCAR Officials mandate inspection during the Event, if any car, car parts, components, and/or equipment which have been used in the Event are taken from the racing premises without permission of a NASCAR Official, or are tampered with by any member of the team or anyone associated with the team: Magnetic spacer attached under the gas pedal with the intent of compromising the chassis dyno test.

This stemmed from post-race inspection for a NASCAR Nationwide Series Event held at Michigan International Speedway on August 16, 2008.

The penalties assessed against each driver were:

-a loss of 150 NASCAR Nationwide Series Championship Driver points, and probation until Dec 31, 2008.

Records indicate that others, including the car owners, crew chiefs and team members also received penalties for these same infractions. However, the Appellants specifically requested that the Commission review the probation portion of the driver penalties only. The Appellants also requested and were granted a deferral of the driver probation portions of the penalties until this hearing could be convened.

After reviewing the testimony presented during the hearing, the National Stock Car Racing Commission unanimously decided to amend the penalties assessed by NASCAR, removing the probation portions of both driver penalties, while leaving the Championship Driver points portions intact."

Buddy Baker
Jim Williams
George Silbermann, Chairman

Short version: Logano and Stewart are no longer probies in the Nationwide Series. Everyone else is still in trouble...

Carry on...

Putting The Medal To The Pedal Is A Bad Idea

Busy day in NASCAR... Bad day for Joe Gibbs Racing...
He is pictured ((thanks, nascar.com)) and he is not a happy man...

The short version- Both Tony Stewart and Joey Logano's Nationwide Series cars were found to have magnets on the bottom of the gas pedals of both cars to mess with the dyno test procedures during testing at Michigan International Speedway. They're both out 150 points. Gibbs is out 150 owners points.

JD Gibbs has suspended both crew chiefs, Dave Rogers and Jason Ratcliff respectively, for the remainder of the 2008 season, and seven crew members have been indefinitely suspended.

From Joe Gibbs, ahem... quote...

"We had come to the conclusion that we would add to any NASCAR imposed penalties with the minimum being suspension for the remainder of the season for those involved, including our two Nationwide Series crew chiefs. There will also be an additional monetary fine beyond the amount announced by NASCAR earlier today, which will be the responsibility of those involved."

The gory details are hyah

And that's not all...

Just as Ganassi Racing is trying to re-sign Reed Sorenson to the #41 car for another contract, his crew chief Donnie Wingo has been fined $25,000 for "actions detrimental to NASCAR." Apparently, Wingo "improperly attached a weight" at Michigan as well.

Whoops... wasn't that why NASCAR brought in Robin Pemberton as their Competition Director in the first place...? To detect these kinds of things...

Remember... it's the pedal on the right...
And some cars were made to do things others were not...

NASCAR's Hoosier Duo: Ryan Newman To Join Tony Stewart's New Team

Tony Stewart has hired Ryan Newman to drive the 2nd car for his new team next season according to the Associated Press. Newman, like Stewart, is an Indiana native.

An announcement is expected Friday at Michigan International Speedway where Newman will be introduced as the driver of the #4 Chevrolet. Details and car sponsorship are still being worked out.

Newman will leave Penske racing at the end of the year. Back in February Ryan Newman edged Tony Stewart to win the Daytona 500.

While sponsorship offers for Newman's #4 Chevrolet are still being worked out, Stewart will have the number of his childhood hero on his car, #14, with Office Depot and Old Spice as the sponsors

(Photo Courtesy: scenedaily.com)