"Hmm, where have we heard this one before?" Or, "Tony Stewart is the man!"

[rabbit]

"Stewart says NASCAR rigged like wrestling"

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18312037/


CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Two-time champion Tony Stewart likened NASCAR to professional wrestling and accused it of using bogus caution flags to shape races in biting comments made on his weekly radio show.

Stewart’s appearance on his Tuesday night show was his first since skipping a post-race press conference in Phoenix. He dominated Saturday night’s race but lost after a late exchange of leads with winner Jeff Gordon. Stewart said he refused interviews to avoid bashing NASCAR after officials threw four cautions for debris on the track.

“It’s like playing God,” he said on his Sirius Satellite Radio program. “They can almost dictate the race instead of the drivers doing it. It’s happened too many times this year.”

Stewart, who said he was fighting a fever and left the two-hour show early, went on to say fans are complaining about debris cautions and NASCAR isn’t listening.

“I guess NASCAR thinks ’Hey, wrestling worked, and it was for the most part staged, so I guess it’s going to work in racing, too,”’ he said. “I can’t understand how long the fans are going to let NASCAR treat them like they’re stupid before the fans finally turn on NASCAR.

“I don’t know that they’ve run a fair race all year.”

[Don Quixote]

Its now official, Smoke won't get the call ever again. Seriously though, I try to watch NASCAR, but everytime they throw a debris yellow I lose interest.

[pchall]

Stewart must read these forums, where we've been saying these things about NASCAR for years and years. :laugh:

[JLMannin]

Stewart must read these forums, where we've been saying these things about NASCAR for years and years. :laugh:

My thoughts exactly. Will his fine from NASACR be five, six, or seven figures?

[opinionated ow]

My thoughts exactly. Will his fine from NASACR be five, six, or seven figures?

the champcar 2004 rule book (not much has changed) states:

2.8.6. Criticism of the Officials. Any participant that publicly criticizes the
Officials will be considered to be acting in an unsportsmanlike manner,
prejudicial or detrimental to the best interests of this sport.

apparently there is no nascar regulation on this sort of thing, so tony's finances should remain intact.

[NismoZ]

Big fine? Nah. If NA$CAB follows form he's either on pole or wins the next race!:D See, like so many before, Big Tony has served his purpose. He was being ignored and had to get by on his skills alone (substantial though they are!) He was yesterday's news...until NOW! Way to go Tony Stewart!

How long ago was it that Kyle piped up about "The Call"? (Wasn't he the first to use it ? How'd his career go after that?) I believe this is just the tip of an iceberg that was SO visible to many of us here a long time ago and the only thing that remains is to see how many more "insiders" jump on board with similar criticisms. I believe Mike Skinner may be the first to lend a hand with his complaints about 'CAB manipulation of rules concerning the Tundra advantage in the trucks. (although that actually seems fair/logical when compared to the actual race tampering Stewart is talking about) This is way bigger than just "debris yellows" and has it's roots in "calls" going way back to The King, The Incrashinator, Jr., early poles for Dodge and so many many more. (who won that big Kobalt race this year? Who won the BY400 inaugural back in '94. Some kid from down the street, I think...but he really DID!:rofl: )

What surprises me is how many will actually BE surprised when that comparison to WWF(E) makes it's way around. Duhhhh.:shakehead. As has been pointed out that balance between sport and entertainment has tipped FAR to the entertainment side in NASCAB and it is not a surprise that a true racer like Tony Stewart is either dumb OR brave enough to complain about it. He also questions whether the fans are stupid enough NOT to see what is going on, hoping to gain their support? I believe the answer is a resounding YES, most 'CAB fans are easily bought. Can he be bought off as well, like so many before, or will he go dirt tracking in Ohio? I know where I'd rather watch him race.;)

[NismoZ]

Big fine? Nah. If NA$CAB follows form he's either on pole or wins the next race!:D See, like so many before, Big Tony has served his purpose. He was being ignored and had to get by on his skills alone (substantial though they are!) He was yesterday's news...until NOW! Way to go Tony Stewart!

How long ago was it that Kyle piped up about "The Call"? (Wasn't he the first to use it ? How'd his career go after that?) I believe this is just the tip of an iceberg that was SO visible to many of us here a long time ago and the only thing that remains is to see how many more "insiders" jump on board with similar criticisms. I believe Mike Skinner may be the first to lend a hand with his complaints about 'CAB manipulation of rules concerning the Tundra advantage in the trucks. (although that actually seems fair/logical when compared to the actual race tampering Stewart is talking about) This is way bigger than just "debris yellows" and has it's roots in "calls" going way back to The King, The Incrashinator, Jr., and so many many more. (who won that big Kobalt race this year? Who won the BY400 inaugural back in '94. Some kid from down the street, I think...but he really DID!:rofl: )

What surprises me is how many will actually BE surprised when that comparison to WWF(E) makes it's way around. Duhhhh.:shakehead. As has been pointed out that balance between sport and entertainment has tipped FAR to the entertainment side in NASCAB and it is not a surprise that a true racer like Tony Stewart is either dumb OR brave enough to complain about it. He also questions whether the fans are stupid enough NOT to see what is going on, hoping to gain their support? I believe the answer is a resounding YES, most 'CAB fans are easily bought. Can he be bought off as well, like so many before, or will he go dirt tracking in Ohio? I know where I'd rather watch him race.;)

[Rogue Leader]

the champcar 2004 rule book (not much has changed) states:


apparently there is no nascar regulation on this sort of thing, so tony's finances should remain intact.



Nobody would know, they make up the rulebook as they go along. I'm sure they are adding that right now.

[emjaya]

How many times after a race, whether Champcar, F1 or IRL, have there been "gee, that race was boring" posts.

NASCAR have just taken steps to eliminate that boredom. :thumbup: :gomer:

[TKGAngel]

From Jayski....


The remarks infuriated image-conscious NASCAR officials, who called Stewart in to address the issue at 6 a.m. Friday, the hour the garage opened. "It's a little tender for me to sit down right now," Stewart quipped. But it wasn't a joke to NASCAR, which was expected to announce penalties later Friday. Series officials watched from the back of the media center as a humbled Stewart made his comments, which contrasted starkly with his remarks Tuesday. "To be honest, the group that I spoke with this morning is a group of peers that I trust. If they tell me the stuff is out there, I believe them," he said. "I should have went to them instead of just saying it out in public. That's frustration that's been building up with all these debris cautions."

Hauling a driver to the garage at 6a is a bit ridiculous.

[Don Quixote]

Just once I'd like one of these guys to come out of one of these meetings and say, "Yeah, they tried to blow more smoke up my ass, but anybody who has half a brain knows they are lying."

[Accipiter]

It's about time a high-profile driver came out and said it.

[JLMannin]

My thoughts exactly. Will his fine from NASACR be five, six, or seven figures?

He was given a five-figure fine for skipping the Pheonix post race interview, but no formal sanction for "The Call" comments:



But his apology hardly ended the controversy. By letting Stewart off with a scolding -- he was fined $10,000 for skipping the mandatory postrace news conference the week before at Phoenix but was not penalized for his radio comments -- NASCAR again opened itself up to allegations of favoritism


http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070502/SPORTS0109/705020445/

[Andrew Longman]

He was given a five-figure fine for skipping the Pheonix post race interview, but no formal sanction for "The Call" comments

What's the usual fine for dropping an f bomb?

Which is worse for the sport?;)

[cart7]

1 week later....

still waiting for the denials from Nascar.....

still waiting........


no? gotcha.