stewart hit for another 50,000

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pettyfan4life

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me Depot Fines Stewart and puts him on Probation: The Home Depot, sponsor of NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver Tony Stewart and the #20 team of Joe Gibbs Racing, has fined Stewart $50,000 and placed him on probation for the remainder of the 2002 season following an incident with a photographer upon the conclusion of the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on August 4, 2002. The fine and probation are in addition to the $10,000 fine and probation NASCAR levied against Stewart following their own investigation. The $50,000 fine will go to the United Way of Central Indiana to be used for a variety of after school programs for children. The Home Depot made its decision after consulting the publisher's office of The Indianapolis Star-News , the newspaper whose freelance photographer was involved in the incident. "Tony Stewart's actions following the Brickyard 400 do not at all represent the values and beliefs of the over 290,000 associates who comprise the backbone and spirit of The Home Depot," said Hugh Miskel, director of sales promotion for The Home Depot. "We value our relationship with the media, fans and competitors of NASCAR, and the behavior displayed following the Brickyard 400 will not be tolerated from any member of our race team now or in the future." The Home Depot, the official home improvement warehouse of NASCAR, has been the primary sponsor of Joe Gibbs Racing and Stewart since 1999.(Edelman PR)(8-8-2002)
 
Do sponsors normally fine their drivers? Does this happen often? Sounds kind of wierd?
 
For those of you that thought Home Depot wouldn't consider leaving the Gibbs team, like myself, this most recent report might shine light a different direction.

I've NEVER heard of a sponsor fining their driver and putting them on probation before. This goes to show how Home Depot is really upset with the image that their driver is creating of himself and of the team they invest a heckuva a lot of money into.

And what exactly does it means when your SPONSOR puts you on probation? What if there is another incident? Will Stewart be out of the car, or will Home Depot leave? Interesting food for thought.
 
Well that sound good for the United Way ...........
:confused:
 
Lets see $185,953 for finishing 12th. -$10,000 from Nascar fine, $175,953. -$50,000 from Home Depot, $125,953. Still not to bad of a day for Tony.
 
I don't think that the driver gets all of the race money.
 
Wonder if Tony will see the light?

I sure hope so!

Tony is a very good driver. But he needs to start acting like a man 100 % of the time.
When his emotions get the best of him he doesn't look to professinal.

Good Luck Tony
 
66Mustang,

It depends on the team. Considering how much Home Depot pays Gibbs to be on that car, Stewart probably gets all that money. But this fine from Home Depot is probably not supposed to hurt him so much financially as it is to serve as a stern warning to him. If your sponsor goes to the trouble to fine you, you might want to give your temper a second thought.
 
Originally posted by gordon24fan
Lets see $185,953 for finishing 12th. -$10,000 from Nascar fine, $175,953. -$50,000 from Home Depot, $125,953. Still not to bad of a day for Tony.
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Don't think for a moment that Tony gets all that money himself. It's TEAM money and I hope ALL fines come directly out of Tony's pocket.

I applaud Home Depot for this precedent setting move. Values first.

Anger Management Lesson #2
 
If HD wants a sports-spokesperson to have the personality of a lawn bowler, maybe they ought to hire one to try to put their logo in Victory Lane.

Boo Hiss Boo Home Depot!!!!!!!!

Auto racing is NOT a gentlemen's sport. It is life and death out there at every turn. You want out? Fine, get out. You want another driver? Fine, get another driver. You want a corporate puppet? Sign Howdie Doodie.

Thank God there is a Lowe's close by cause I really don't think I'll be shopping at HD again any time soon.
 
Neither will I. And I think I'll be writing a letter telling them so.

Boo to Home Depot.
 
Playing Devil's Advocate for minute ----

How do we know that HD wasn't going to make a charitable donation to the fund beforehand?

Not trying to be contentious, merely speculating that this would make excellent PR.

Again, just looking at things a little from the backside.
 
Originally posted by paul
Neither will I.  And I think I'll be writing a letter telling them so.

Boo to Home Depot.
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I gotta agree with both you guys. Paul and 71. What was the point of the punishment to Tony, besides PR? Tony's got a problem with his temper.......his team owner and the sanctioning body need to deal with it. Not his sponsor in the public forum. HD should take their concerns to Joe Gibbs.......not to Tony directly!! Sounds to me like Home Depot saw a chance to get into the spotlight and do the "politically correct" thing.......they don't have to sponsor the 20 car if they feel Tony was detrimental to their "image". But take it up with Joe.......in private!! Unfortunately, there's not a Lowes close to me.......but I will limit my visits to them from now till there is a Lowes close (which is expanding to my area "soon"). I think that was a chicken-sh*t thing to do.....go public with something like that!
 
Oh, I agree, Paul. Hanging Tony out was not a good thing.

I don't shop at HD unless I absolutely have to. The one in my neighborhood never has enough registers open, and the people never know where anything is, even if it's in their work area.

Fortunately, I have a Lowe's right around the corner, and much easier to get to.
 
Can I ask a question?
What even caused all of this to happen?

Tony finished 12th, and then I hear this. I would be happy as a mofo if I finished 12th at Indy.... let alone just finishing.
 
Almost every sport just bans for continued infractions, just ask Pete Rose among others.

I see nothing wrong with a sponsor making a strong statement to one whose temper has continued to be a problem.

Please do NOT take me wrong, I LOVE TONY STEWART and will continue to wish him well.
Neither HD nor any sponsor wants a "Poster Child" for anger as their star, no matter what the sport.

GOOD LUCK this weekend Tony Smoke Stewart, 2nd place behind the 24 :p :D
 
I think Home Depot is listening to the wrong people.

NASCAR was founded on gruff men and women that spoke their minds and settled things with some good old fashioned fisticuffs.

With the MTV/WWF state that NASCAR is in now Tony was a throwback to the founding drivers of NASCAR. Someone that didn't take any **** from anyone and let emotions out in the open.

I sent an email to Home Depot expressing my displeasure...you can all do the same if you so choose.
 
Originally posted by kat2220
Almost every sport just bans for continued infractions, just ask Pete Rose among others.

I see nothing wrong with a sponsor making a strong statement to one whose temper has continued to be a problem.

Please do NOT take me wrong, I LOVE TONY STEWART and will continue to wish him well.
Neither HD nor any sponsor wants a "Poster Child" for anger as their star, no matter what the sport.

GOOD LUCK this weekend Tony Smoke Stewart, 2nd place behind the 24 :p :D
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Who does Home Depot make the checks payable to? Tony or Joe? Whoever is "payee" is who they should take their concerns to. Home Depot just jumped on the "ridicule Tony band wagon" for purly public relations reasons. Free press and, "after all, it for the kids". The could have done the same thing quietly and still accomplished the same thing. They chose the public way, and I don't like it.........my little boycott.:)

By the way......most people know I'm not a real big fan of Tony Stewart. I like him, but then again I like lots of drivers, encluding Jimmy Spencer.
 
My e-mail is on the way.Home Depot has overstepped the boundary on this one.WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY overstepped it.I see [arghh] Lowe's in my future.Where are ya Ace hardware??
 
Just sent my own email to Home Depot. Pretty crappy thing to do.

Unfortunately, they're the only game in town, but I'm sure I'll find a way to get by...don't need a 20 lb bag of manure anytime soon, I'm afraid to say.
 
Home Depot Is just trying to make the Public realize that Tony wont get away with what he did. Fortuanatley for me Ive got Plenty of Homp IMP. stores to choose from...Home Depot is no longer one of them.
 
home dep has to many loyal customers a couple people to stop shopping there wouldnt do any good, I go to lowes anyway but if you shop there stop shopping there isnt gonna do anything
 
Originally posted by smack500
home dep has to many loyal customers a couple people to stop shopping there wouldnt do any good, I go to lowes anyway but if you shop there stop shopping there isnt gonna do anything
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That's true smack.......but what if what if it were a couple hundred and word gets out. Could turn out to a couple hundred thousand. Bet that would get their attention.......besides, it makes me feel better.:)

I wonder how many Home Depot customers where thinking: "That damned Stewart guy really gives your store a bad name........you ought to do something about that if you want me to continue to shop here!" Bet less than the number of people who are wondering why they opted for a public outcry about a driver who is short tempered and somewhat of a brat.

Just my two cents.
 
hey DE does this mean we won't be shopping at home depot anymore now???????:D
 
Originally posted by cutiepie24
hey DE does this mean we won't be shopping at home depot anymore now???????:D
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We don't shop there much anyway........there are other places and a Lowes is supposed to open in Valencia soon. I think we can live with Home Depot for a bit.:)
 
I just sent an email to Home Depot as well. I told them I'd only shop there if they gave a PUBLIC opology to Tony, since they hung him out to dry publicly.
 
Unfourtuanatley I dont think Home Depot Is going to give Tony a Apology. It would make them look bad to do something and then just to take it back...they may loose even more customers by doing this. Also Im sure that they discussed this issue about fining Tony and thought that it was the best thing to do. At least the money went to charity...
 
Nothey won't, and I'm sure they won't take any of us emailing them seriously. But ya gotta do what ya believe in :)
 
I dont see what the big deal is 50,000$ is not gonna hurt tony hell prolly earn alot more then that next week and yes I know he doesnt get all of the winnings. It would be like one of us being fined 50$. Also somehow I doubt the owner of home depot is a nacar fan he prolly didnt have anything to do with that one of his many employes prolly did.The probation from the sponsor might have been a little out of bounce but I dont think the extra fine was to bad, Im sorry I think what he did was wrong

Someone please tell me what would happen if one of us punched a reporter???
 
And someone tell me how its okay for someone to keep following you after you've repeatedly said no and left the situation? Thats not doing your job, thats harrasement! But writers and reporters apparently don't have to live to the same ethical codes the rest of us do:mad:
 
Some of this I don't understand.

If Joe Citizen attacked a member of the media, odds are he would face both civil and criminal charges.

If an employee gets in a fight at work, generally he will face some time off without pay for doing so and be placed on disciplinary probation. Repeat offenders are generally invited to find suitable employment elsewhere.
 
Home Depot did the right thing....wheter we like it or not, these companies are investing well over 10 million a season and probably over 15 million a season for a top notch team like Joe Gibbs racing. this team has your logo slapped on everything they own....they do promotions for your company.

you want good press right? i mean who is going to buy products from a store that gets bad press?

so it doesnt look good when you read something in the paper that says.....Tony Stewart, driver of THE HOME DEPOT Ponitiac is involved in another off the track incident.

every other sport fines its players....the teams they work for often times fines its own players.

i applaud The Home Depot, its about time someone stepped up and is making drivers pay for their stupidity.


im also glad that it sounds like Tony is going to get some help for his anger problems. i have a new found respect for him because he is actually admiting that he has a problem and is going to do everything he can to fix it.
 
As much as I am a Joe Gibbs fan and Not a Richard Childress fan, I have to say Childress handled the situation with Harvick 10 times better. Worked it out with the sponsor and driver behind closed doors and supported his driver in public. JGR and Home Depot have really blown it with this one. The aftermath of this incident is getting out of control, and so is the sponsor's influence off the track...

I will no longer doubt the rumors of Tony switching teams when his contract is up. :(
 
I agree with you Happy. This is turning into a circus...
 
In all my years of following NASCAR, through all the incidents, all the crap that has been pulled by drivers, I have never heard of a sponsor fining its driver. Pretty bizarre. Way I see it, if you as a sponsor (read pocketbook) are unhappy, dissatisfied, humiliated or otherwise negatively impacted by the driver of a race car you pay for, you simply eliminate the driver. Yes, Tony Stewart is good...damn good. He ain't the only one. HD should have made whatever statement they felt necessary to keep the positive PR image, then cut him loose at the end of the season or withdrawn the sponsorship to another team they felt was more palatable. Tony Stewart won't ever hurt for a top sponsor, and Home Depot won't ever hurt for a top driver. If HD feels this strongly about what happened, there are better ways to do it. Now, in effect, they have a very disgruntled employee on their hands.

As stated previously, I think Tony colored outside the lines when he laid hands on another person. Period. I ain't no Tony fan, but the actions of HD are out of line as well. I don't care for HD's driver, and I also don't like Lowe's driver. Where am I supposed to shop? :p I can see it now...a little sign outside my house that says "Construction By Caterpillar and Viagra".
 
Happy I totally agree.


I find it incredibly amusing no one thinks the reporter was wrong. I guess they could follow him into the bathroom and you wouldn't find it a problem?? Cmon they have to live to the rules everyone else does. "Doing their job" is no excuse PERIOD.
 
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