July 1, 2004

Tony Stewart

Speaking about the altercation with Brian Vickers following the Dodge/SaveMart 350 at Infineon Raceway, Brian France said, CEO of NASCAR said on Tuesday.."This is a big deal -- We're going to see how big it is here shortly. His behavior is unacceptable. We will be dealing with that shortly. It will be before the Pepsi 400, that's for sure."

"Tony has to work within the same rule structure and behavioral expectations that we have for all of our drivers," France added. "One way or the other, we will figure that out."

Leave Tony alone, let him race they say. I like a "Tell It Like It Is" fired up, spunky driver, they say.

There will be an outcry over this.

At a time when it's most important to exude some credibility, NASCAR takes the back door.

With all that's been wrong in the past few weeks, mistakes with calls on the track, in the pits, with caution periods, when NASCAR desperately needs to establish some respectability with the fans, when it is time for NASCAR to step up to the plate and do the right thing, it failed miserably. It rolled over and played dead.

Stewart will say all the right things to appease the sponsors, his car owner Joe Gibbs and whoever wants to hear the right words, but he'll sitting back, snickering about dodging another bullet. Stewart obviously believes he's bigger than NASCAR and he thumbs his nose at them.

Before each season, Stewart sets aside monies to be used for fines during the season. If that money isn't paid out, he uses it for Christmas gifts for his family. He may be over his alloted funds this time.

NASCAR needs to park him for a race or two or they'll be dealing with this same situation again. Even the steadfast Stewart fans have to be shaking their heads about this situation.

Stewart's team deserves better than this.

Can you imagine the penalty had this been, say Jimmy Spencer, that mauled Brian Vickers? Can you imagine what his penalty would have been? Oh that's right, we've been through all that last year.

NASCAR owes Jimmy Spencer a race. He was suspended last year, prevented from running at one of his favorite tracks, Bristol Motor Speedway, for roughing up fellow driver Kurt Busch following the race at Michigan International Speedway. Spencer is probably wondering how he was mugged by NASCAR while Stewart skates.

At Insider Racing News, we've received hundreds of letters trying to convince us that Stewart would get off light and with each reply, we've told the readers that NASCAR would take corrective measures. Give them the benefit of the doubt, we said. We were wrong, NASCAR again took the low road. We owe an apology to all those readers that were convinced that he's getting away with something.

When you make six million dollars a year, $50,000 is a pittance, mere pocket change to Stewart.

Whether it's punching a photographer, knocking a tape recorder out of a reporters hand, getting in the face of this reporter, flipping off John Andretti, Rusty Wallace, or the numerous other drivers he's had run-ins with, he can't control his emotions. He's been in Jeff Gordon's face and he's gone toe-to-toe with Robby Gordon.

Talent is not an excuse to run wild. Talent isn't an excuse for bad behavior.

When will his friends, car owner or sponsor get Stewart some help? What will it take to get the out-of-control, self destructing bad-boy some badly need therapy.

It's one thing to support him -- it's another to enable his conduct.

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