Stewart, Vickers involved in post-race incident
Discussion about on-track incident gets physical
By Marty Smith, Turner Sports Interactive June 27, 2004
9:17 PM EDT (0117 GMT)
SONOMA, Calif. -- Tony Stewart and Brian Vickers were involved in a post-race altercation Sunday at Infineon Raceway, but no one seems to know exactly why.
"He wrecked me during the race, in Turn 11, then came over after the race and was mad at me. I have no idea why," Vickers said. "I never touched him.
Brian Vickers finished 22nd on Sunday at Sonoma. Credit: Autostock
"He was debating with me, but gave me no reason why he was upset. So I just laughed it off. I think that made him madder, so he came after me."
Vickers said he was still strapped in the GMAC Chevrolet, helmet off, when Stewart lunged through the window and grabbed Vickers' chest.
"He got me in the chest, kinda knocked the wind out of me, then tried to pull me out of the car," Vickers said. "That's why my guys grabbed him. Here's the deal: It was not a fist and he did not hit me in the face.
"He hit the armrest and he reached in the car and he grabbed me in the chest and when he did, he hit me. It was kind of open-palm, grabbed my shirt."
After the two were separated, they were summoned to the NASCAR hauler for a talking-to. Vickers said NASCAR has yet to make a decision, but whatever it is he'll support it.
"I didn't do anything wrong, so whatever they do I'm behind it," Vickers said. "I'm sure NASCAR will do the right thing."
NASCAR president Mike Helton said the sanctioning body was looking into the incident.
This is the latest in a series of questionable conduct incidents for Stewart this season. For most of the year, folks have questioned his on-track aggressiveness. At Darlington, he triggered an accident that eliminated Jeff Gordon from the race.
At California, he got together with Rusty Wallace, so infuriating Wallace that he stated: "(Stewart) needs some help. He's in a ditch right now. I don't know what's wrong with the guy. He's really screwing up a lot lately."
Stewart also got into rookie Scott Wimmer during a caution period at Bristol, and after the race concluded at Talladega, drove up pit road in the opposite direction from the rest of the field, causing at least one television correspondent to report he and his co-workers had "feared for their safety."
After his visit to the NASCAR hauler Sunday, Stewart left without comment. But he and Vickers did speak afterward.
Tony Stewart finished 15th on Sunday. Credit: Autostock
"He said that I laughed about the situation, and when I laughed it pissed him off and that's why he did it," Vickers said. "I said, 'Yeah, I did laugh. I thought it was funny that you were mad at me, because you wrecked me.' I'm not going to lie to him and say I didn't smile about it. That's how I was raised.
"This is not a situation that I'm going to make a big deal out of. I never passed him, because I was never behind him. I've had feuds with guys and had problems with them, but we worked them out.
"I've definitely never had anybody mad at me for hitting me. That just kind of baffled me. I've never had any kind of problem like this before."
Discussion about on-track incident gets physical
By Marty Smith, Turner Sports Interactive June 27, 2004
9:17 PM EDT (0117 GMT)
SONOMA, Calif. -- Tony Stewart and Brian Vickers were involved in a post-race altercation Sunday at Infineon Raceway, but no one seems to know exactly why.
"He wrecked me during the race, in Turn 11, then came over after the race and was mad at me. I have no idea why," Vickers said. "I never touched him.
Brian Vickers finished 22nd on Sunday at Sonoma. Credit: Autostock
"He was debating with me, but gave me no reason why he was upset. So I just laughed it off. I think that made him madder, so he came after me."
Vickers said he was still strapped in the GMAC Chevrolet, helmet off, when Stewart lunged through the window and grabbed Vickers' chest.
"He got me in the chest, kinda knocked the wind out of me, then tried to pull me out of the car," Vickers said. "That's why my guys grabbed him. Here's the deal: It was not a fist and he did not hit me in the face.
"He hit the armrest and he reached in the car and he grabbed me in the chest and when he did, he hit me. It was kind of open-palm, grabbed my shirt."
After the two were separated, they were summoned to the NASCAR hauler for a talking-to. Vickers said NASCAR has yet to make a decision, but whatever it is he'll support it.
"I didn't do anything wrong, so whatever they do I'm behind it," Vickers said. "I'm sure NASCAR will do the right thing."
NASCAR president Mike Helton said the sanctioning body was looking into the incident.
This is the latest in a series of questionable conduct incidents for Stewart this season. For most of the year, folks have questioned his on-track aggressiveness. At Darlington, he triggered an accident that eliminated Jeff Gordon from the race.
At California, he got together with Rusty Wallace, so infuriating Wallace that he stated: "(Stewart) needs some help. He's in a ditch right now. I don't know what's wrong with the guy. He's really screwing up a lot lately."
Stewart also got into rookie Scott Wimmer during a caution period at Bristol, and after the race concluded at Talladega, drove up pit road in the opposite direction from the rest of the field, causing at least one television correspondent to report he and his co-workers had "feared for their safety."
After his visit to the NASCAR hauler Sunday, Stewart left without comment. But he and Vickers did speak afterward.
Tony Stewart finished 15th on Sunday. Credit: Autostock
"He said that I laughed about the situation, and when I laughed it pissed him off and that's why he did it," Vickers said. "I said, 'Yeah, I did laugh. I thought it was funny that you were mad at me, because you wrecked me.' I'm not going to lie to him and say I didn't smile about it. That's how I was raised.
"This is not a situation that I'm going to make a big deal out of. I never passed him, because I was never behind him. I've had feuds with guys and had problems with them, but we worked them out.
"I've definitely never had anybody mad at me for hitting me. That just kind of baffled me. I've never had any kind of problem like this before."
