All Purpose NASCAR Thread

Mod, just having fun. I don't need another death threat tossed my way.

 

Here's the question I had: What the hell was Clint Bowyer doing trying a cheap shot like squeezing Stewart into the wall that early in the race? I realize many of them were at the Martinsville Yellow Flag Festival the day before, but lap 32 of a 200-lapper on a 2.5-mile track is way too soon for anybody to be trying a stupid maneuver like that.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. And the real loser in the whole thing was Carl Edwards, who had nothing to do with it.

 

You didn't go? After I gave you an accurate forecast from the National Weather Service?

 

I thought Jenna's column really nailed it on Stewart. Actually, that was everything a great column should be. She wasted few words. Well done.

 

I get so tired of people defending Tony freakin' Stewart.

No, Stewart isn't the same asshole he was a few years back. Yes, his humor is often misunderstood.

But he's still, at heart, a dick. All the PR classes in the world won't cover that up.

We all know guys like Stewart. Roughly 70 percent of the time, they're OK. They're laughing, they're joking, they're a good guy to have around. But let one little thing not go their way, let somebody make an innocent mistake, let some unexpected shit happen, and bam, they go into full dickhead mode. They're out looking for somebody to blame -- anybody. And anything they do in response, well, that's your fault too.

And if anyone has ever wondered how they can spot a real dickhead amongst the NASCAR ranks, it's a safe bet any driver Carl Edwards calls a jerk would more than qualify.

 

If Tony had done it differently ... say, 50 or more laps further into the race ... would people have been as angry at him. For instance, what if he had come up behind Bowyer at lap 100 or so and while racing him for position, "accidentally" tapped him from behind? At worst, he could have claimed, "I just got a run on him going into turn 1 and didn't have anywhere else to go."

If he's truly trying to be this generation's Dale Earnhardt, that would have been the way to go.

Irrelevant. You don't make that move, that early, for that position.

 

Stewart Discusses Lap 32 Incident Sunday at Pocono
COLUMBUS, Ind., (July 24, 2006) - The following is a statement from NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series driver Tony Stewart regarding the lap 32 incident in Sunday's Pennsylvania 500 that involved Stewart, Clint Bowyer and Carl Edwards.

"I'm taking 100 percent responsibility for the final incident that occurred on lap 32 between myself, the 07 (Bowyer) and the 99 (Edwards). It was totally my fault.

"At the same time, there were circumstances that led up to that wreck, and after talking with Clint this morning, we both have a better understanding as to what happened. He was trying to get out of my way and didn't realize that I had gone to the outside. He thought I was to his inside, and when he tried to give me some room, he slid into us and it put us into the outside wall. I reacted, causing the wreck that I take responsibility for and regret."

 

Get well soon, Benny Parsons

 

I saw that this morning, Jeff. Bad news.

Keep your fingers crossed.

 

Back when Benny was working with Bob Jenkins he had some health issues. Can't remember what exactly. Get well soon, BP.

 

As I'm sure people on here know, Keith Parsons, formerly of the AP in Atlanta and Raleigh, is Benny's son. He's out of the business now but I'm sure he would appreciate some good wishes as well.

 

You probably saw on nascarmedia.com that they were offering hot laps with J.J. Yeley on Friday at Indy. It couldn't have been posted more than 15 minutes, and I immediately replied to sign up. I thought, "Wow, I've never done that, that would be cool to take a lap around IMS."

That was what, three days ago? Today I get an e-mail saying, "Sorry, J.J. is all booked. You can come cover the event if you want."

I guess that means more important people than me wanted to take the ride, so they got first priority. Thanks a lot.

Speaking of Indy, how about an SportsJournalists.com Indy gathering? I'll be there starting Thursday. Anyone up for a couple drinks?