Indiana Newspaper article on Stewart's latest childish act

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24and12Fan

Guest
No Excuses for Tony Stewart
By: Ben Blake

Indianapolis, August 5

Tony Stewart had a bad weekend at the Brickyard 400, and frankly, we're pretty tired of it.

It's a pleasure to watch Tony race, and we appreciate his childish honesty in telling us what he thinks (compared with the dull opinions of most of the regulars), but five-year-old Tony needs to grow up, and grow up fast. He has his cake, ice cream and new bike.

Stewart insulted just about everyone this weekend after winning the pole for the Brickyard 400, Indy's major NASCAR spectacle.

You'd think that being at home in USAC-land would reassure Tony, who runs off to sprint car races whenever possible. You'd think that being among loyal Hoosiers would give him down-home comfort.

You'd think that winning the pole for the Brickyard would give him some sense of comfort and civic responsibility -- Jeff Gordon can handle it; why can't Tony Stewart?

After the Brickyard pole runs Saturday, Stewart b###hed. "This is my hell week," he noted. "As much as I love being home, I hate this week.

"I'll bet my phone rang 400 times [Friday] night because everybody knew it was my only night off, and everybody wanted to take me to dinner or ride Harleys or do something last night. Between them and family, that puts a lot of pressure on me, and being at home and wanting to do well in front of all your friends and family, that puts a lot of pressure on me.

"With all the local media that have followed us when we ran sprint cars and midgets and then the IRL here at the Speedway, it creates a big hassle for three days."

Following that was his IROC outburst Saturday, in which he quit after 30 laps and, on live radio, criticized the IROC cars profanely, calling them "pieces of ****". Tony, if you don't want to do something, let the organizers know before you agree to accept the money.

In practice Saturday, the car was not performing well as the team tried out race modifications. Tony came out of the car like a rocket and had a confrontation with crewmen, including crew chief Greg Zipadelli, who has covered Tony's ass for him for two years.

Sunday, Stewart led 43 laps but faded at the end. Afterward, on a very hot day, he responded to annoyances from the media by assaulting a free-lance photographer, this one reportedly from Kansas City.

It is not certain what happened, and therefore we are reluctant to comment. What happened happened quickly, out of sight of most of the reputable media, who can not be everywhere at once. From what is gathered, Stewart either shoved the snapper, or raised his fist, or swung one, two, three times. The photographer would not answer questions.

Owner Joe Gibbs, who has had to apologize weekly for Tony's outbursts, said he had talked with the photographer and that all was fine. That's good. Assault charges and lawsuits are a waste of time, right?

Final opinion? Get Tony Stewart out of here. If he can't accept frustration and annoyance the way Jeff Gordon does, he is half a man. It's what you get paid to do, in part, you childish idiot. It's time for Tony to grow up, and it's time for Gibbs to quit coddling him.

Yes, I've read Bones Bourcier's book, and I understnad how racers think. The big league, however, operates under rules, and you either live with them or you don't. It looks like Tony Stewart don't, and therefore, we don't want him around.

I'd have to agree, shape up quickly or get the hell out of Nascar you crybaby...your giving Nascar drivers a bad name!!
 
Pretty harsh. Nobody ever accused me of being a fan of Tony's, and his off track behavior is the main reason. But that's a hack job.
 
Tabloid stuff.

My fave has always been "Cow Gives Birth to Alien Baby"
 
24&12, either you embellished the article or this newspaper is not exactly part of the unbiased media normal people enjoy. :rolleyes: If you think Tony is bad for the sport, that puts him in the company of countless other drivers past and present whose tempers have gotten the best of them after a race. It's part of NASCAR racing.
 
At least ther leaving Jr.alone this weekend,It just wasn't your weekend off from the Media Tony.You can rest when you go back down south.:p
 
That is pretty harsh. Us fans of nascar take it for granted how good we have it. How many other sports would the participants be willing to give interview after they just lost the game, match, race, etc.

Tony is pretty emotional and that is one of the main reasons he is as good as he is.

The media should back off.
 
Looks like a hack job, second to last paragraph has "understnad."
 
Hmm, well...that "writer" is a complete idiot. Not because of his dislike for Tony, but because he can't even speak English correctly.
 
Here's a bit of an update on the Tony situation, as far as NASCAR is concerned. Some type of judgment may come as soon as today.

BTW, this writer apparently disdains the paragraph break: :rolleyes:

http://www.thatsracin.com/mld/thatsracin/3809110.htm

NASCAR sorting through Stewart altercation
By JENNA FRYER
Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS - NASCAR will sort through accounts of what led Tony Stewart to punch a photographer following the Brickyard 400 before deciding if the driver should be punished. Any penalties could come Tuesday, but not before the sanctioning body discusses things with Stewart, who hit a photographer following his 12th-place finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. "To say for certain there will be a penalty is not giving Tony the benefit of the doubt," spokesman Jim Hunter said. "We are in the process of sorting through the facts and to do so, we need to speak everyone involved. We have plans to speak to Tony." NASCAR spent Monday interviewing several reporters and photographers who witnessed it, with some saying Stewart also kicked the photographer, Hunter said. No one has come forward with photographic evidence. NASCAR chairman Bill France Jr. said he'd be interested in seeing pictures or footage of the confrontation and wondered if Stewart might have been provoked into hitting the photographer. France did not condone Stewart's actions but wanted to know whether the photographer might have been too aggressive in doing his job, which could have angered Stewart. "All I know is what I have heard, and I don't know what provoked it," France said. "But I've seen shots that came from when photographers got right up in everyone's face. If Tony is running and a photographer is following, and I guess trying to get his picture, he's doing his job. "But I don't know where it says that Tony is obligated to stand there with a beautiful smile on his face and pose for pictures." France said disciplinary action would be decided on by NASCAR president Mike Helton and his staff. The Indianapolis Star, which employed the freelance photographer Stewart punched, sent a letter Monday to NASCAR and Joe Gibbs Racing, said assistant managing sports editor Tim Wheatley. He said the paper asked for assurances that such incidents would be prevented in the future. Wheatley also said photographer Gary Mook did not provoke Stewart. "If provoking means trying to take your photo when you're mad, then that's what he did," Wheatley said. "He didn't stick a camera in the car. He's just trying to do his job." Stewart was a favorite to win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, his home track, but faded late in the race and fell to 12th. He pulled his No. 20 Pontiac into the garage, hopped out and abandoned the car next to one of the empty bays at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. As Stewart hurriedly walked off, he swatted his hand in the air when approached from behind by a man. Mook was following and Stewart broke into a trot to get away. Mook ran alongside him, and Stewart turned to him and threw several punches before he was pulled away. "He struck me in the chest," Mook told The Star in a story printed Monday. "I ran, I got in front of him to take a picture and I got off one frame. He came toward me and struck me in the chest to get me out of the way. I didn't pursue him." Mook told the newspaper that Stewart struck him once, adding the confrontation was "being totally blown out of proportion." Mook spoke with Gibbs about the incident at the track and on the phone following the race. "I dealt with it man-to-man with Joe Gibbs," Mook told the newspaper. "He assured me it would be handled. I was happy with the resolution. Nothing further will come from it."
 
Seems Tony has a lot of defenders here. But the fact is he is a brat and inconsiderate of the fans who defend him. His statement "This is my hell week. As much as I love being home, I hate this week." says it all.

If you said that amongst your friends when visiting "home" you'd not have friends very long.

Giving up Sunday with a few laps to go just because he can't win is inexcusable. There are a few hundred people in the Gibbs organization who care about the difference between 12th and a top 5. He let them all down.
 
24&12, either you embellished the article or this newspaper is not exactly part of the unbiased media normal people enjoy.  If you think Tony is bad for the sport, that puts him in the company of countless other drivers past and present whose tempers have gotten the best of them after a race. It's part of NASCAR racing.
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i dont know what happened, apparently there are conflicting reports, but i cant remember any other driver attacking a reporter in the history of NASCAR....i can remember drivers attacking drivers and crews attacking crews....but ive never seen anything like this in NASCAR. this is the 2nd time he's done something like that.

sure i can see how is annoying to have to go through what these drivers go through week in and week out. they are on the road all they time, getting hassled by everyone, and when they have a bad day they want to be left alone. thats totally understandable....but to attack someone that had no effect on why you had a bad day is uncalled for.

im all for watching drivers and crews go at it, thats kinda funny......but not innoncent people...then again we dont know the reporter attacked him. because TS's history people automatically assume that he lost his temper and went off on the guy. if thats the case, he needs to be fined by Nascar.
 
Originally posted by Alaska
Seems Tony has a lot of defenders here.  But the fact is he is a brat and inconsiderate of the fans who defend him.    
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No, that's an opinion.

Originally posted by Alaska
His statement "This is my hell week.  As much as I love being home, I hate this week." says it all.  
Click to expand...

To me, that says he's going to be put under intense pressure from the media to perform.

Originally posted by Alaska
If you said that amongst your friends when visiting "home" you'd not have friends very long.

Giving up  Sunday with  a few laps to go just because he can't win is inexcusable.  There are a few hundred people in the Gibbs organization who care about the difference between 12th and a top 5.  He let them all down.
Click to expand...

At least he didn't give up 10 laps into the race.
 
This reporter's next job may be at the "Enquirer".

Just a wannabe is all.

Let's just wait and see what, if any, decision or report is made by NASCAR.
 
Well the story is true. But what kind of writer is telling us we don't want him around? I like how he thinks he speaks for everyone LMAO. Isn't Tony near the top of the favorite driver poll? Maybe he didn't get an autograph. Or maybe its just because he's a Gordon fan( no offense intened to Gordon fans on this board!)
 
But the fact is he is a brat and inconsiderate of the fans who defend him.

Yup thats why he signed autographs for 5 hours when he was here in Minny. Thats also why many people were able to chat with him in the pits after the race at Cedar Lake Speedway. Yeah he sure is awful to his fans. Didn't he just meet with another guy named Tony Stewart? Hasn't he flown in kids to see him? EThere are many more stories of things Tony's done that are good. Ofcourse Tony's alot like Sr was, they don't look for recognition. They just do it behind the scenes.
 
I herd on the radio the other day that tony shoved and then punched a reporter I thought it was a joke Im sorry it myight just be my opinion only but I think the other drivers get just as much pressure as he does maybe more and I could be wrong but I dont see any of them hitting a reporter and this isnt the first time that hes done something like this I thought he finally learned to control his temper a bit but obviously he hasn't
 
Also if Tony is such a bad guy, who gave his jet to Kenny Irwins parents to use?? I forget which driver did that? And which drivers have given a ton of time and money to Petty's foundation? I know Schrader has, I know Elliot and Jr. went out to race for it. But wasn't there some other guy who's donated alot to that organization? I remember Kyle Petty naming him specifically for all the help he's done. Geez what is this guys name again?

TONY STEWART
 
Those things don't matter to most people. You see, they need to have someone to boo in order to enjoy the racing. They need the bad wrestler.
 
My philosophy has always been, have 1 driver you support no matter what, have at least 3 you cannot stand, and everyone else falls somewhere in the middle. Makes a race interesting no matter who's running where.
 
That philosophy wouldn't work for me. The race is interesting regardless of who is running where. I'm watching a car race, not a soap opera.
 
I used to have my one or two favorites, and pretty much rooted against everyone else -- especially Jeff Gordon. I don't do that anymore. It wasn't a conscious decision. Just that, over the years, I've come to appreciate everyone's contribution to the sport and to my personal entertainment. It just wouldn't be the same without all of those guys out there each and every weekend. I primarily enjoy it for the racing, but must admit that I also enjoy the character-driven side of it. Some of these guys are really colorful! And if everyone loved Dale Jr. as much as I did, life would be incredibly boring.

That being said, I can really empathize with Tony Stewart. Not that I've ever been rich or famous, but I do have a temper and can only imagine the bile that would spill forth publically if I was ever physically confronted by a journalist while I was really angry. Tony let that guy off easy. I'd have been in prison already!
 
Got that right abooja.

Where I grew up, when someone says, "Leave me the **** alone" we left them alone.

It's called respect.
 
Where I grew up, when someone says, "Leave me the **** alone" we left them alone.

It's called respect.


Exactly, but how many reporters or writers show that?
 
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