Stewart has a date with Darby before California

[TonyB]

From THAT'S RACIN'

Nextel Cup driver Tony Stewart will be required to meet with series director John Darby this weekend at California Speedway regarding his recent actions during and after races, NASCAR spokesman Mike Zizzo confirmed Monday.
Stewart is not likely to face any official sanctions from his actions in and after Sunday's race at Talladega, Ala., Zizzo said, but Darby wants to discuss some of Stewart's recent actions with him.

In Sunday's race, Stewart's crew chief, Greg Zipadelli, was warned on the radio at least twice by NASCAR to calm his driver down.

Stewart got into Kurt Busch on Lap 83 of 188, starting a 10-car pile-up. Later in the race, Stewart himself was the victim of a spin by Jimmie Johnson.

Following the race, Stewart elected not to run the "cool down" lap and turned into the exit of pit road. However, he failed to notice driver Terry Labonte and turned in front of him and the two collided.

Stewart then drove up the length of pit road the wrong way at a high rate of speed past a gathering of media, NASCAR and track officials, then stopped to talk with Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the entrance to the garage area.

Several NASCAR officials, as well as Labonte's crew chief, Jim Long, complained about Stewart's actions.

Labonte's team did not receive an apology from Stewart, team officials confirmed Monday.

Stewart and his crew chief have been admonished over the radio several times this season during races about Stewart's "aggressive driving." He has, however, received no penalties for any actions.

 

[Flamebow]

Wow...... I try to give Tony the benefit of the doubt at every opportunity, but, well .. damn.

 

[EatMorePossum]

This is the same John Darby who was unaware of Junior's escapades at Bristol until Helton told him he was aware of them. This oughta do a lot of good.

 

[Lap3Forever]

i seen Tony run at the short track firday night.

 

[LeDoux22]

Well, i have been waiting to see if nascar would ever say anything to Stewart.. i mean his usually smart when he's bumping people but this season he's taken it a little too far.. maybe this will help cool him down a little..

 

[Mrs.Nascar20]

Originally posted by Lap3Forever@Apr 26 2004, 07:41 PM
i seen Tony run at the short track firday night.

Wow. did he win? Was it a dirt track?

 

[4xchampncountin]

I take this with a grain of salt. Tony is just what NASCAR wants him to be. They want a bad boy who has a lot of fans.

This isn't the first time Tony has caused a big wreck and it most certainly will not be the last. If NASCAR was serious about it they would penalize him points, or hold him in the pits following certain infractions, or any number of things that actually would hurt his team.

Mearly talking to him is a way to appear to be hard on him for the media, but not really do anything.

 

[dragonlady424]

Well.........................ya know, I still say there isn't a single driver out there that
would deliberately harm another driver. RP tracks are just
inviting disaster anyway. So......................NASCAR, in their infinite wisdom.
still uses the RP's annnnnnnnnnnnd, reduces the gas tank capacity to boot.
Ahhhhhhhhhh, what a tangeled web we weave!!!! NASCAR, you are sooooooooo
brilliant!!!!!!! (NOT!!!)

 

[TexasRaceLady]

I can sort of understand things happening during the race, but I did take issue with his hard left into pit road after the race and running across Terry's car.

 

[DE_Wrangler_2]

Tony's hard turn to the left after the race sure looked intentional. His post race interview was entirely inadequate as far as any explanation was concerned. And his driving behavior of late sure as changed for the worse. This is all my observations. But, I still haven't heard any answers for why any of this has happened. I like Tony. But I don't like what I'm seeing. Only thing that bothers me is that I don't know what's going on with him............it's all speculation on my part, for sure. And, it's all speculation on everyone else's part too..........why can't we wait and see how this meeting with John Darby works out before we jump to these huge conclusions about Tony and/or NASCAR. How do any of you know NASCAR won't penalize Tony? How to any of you know that this week's meeting might not be Tony's final chance in the sport.....or it might be his walking papers? That "bad boy" comment that NASCAR needs drivers like Tony (and his bad attitude) is all part of that old conspiracy crap..........it's so ridiculous that it approaches stupidity.