From Auburn flags to checkered flags.... I do realize that many of you have abandoned race season entirely for football, but how can you turn away from a sport with so many characters, or should I say caricatures??? Tony Stewart, love him or hate him, and I know most of you do. After all, there is no in-between with Tony. After his short-lived image makeover, Stewart has once again re staked his claim on the position of NASCAR's bad boy. (And while future teammate, Kyle Busch, has tried to steal the moniker for himself, we all know he could never be taken seriously enough by fans or competitors to truly claim the title.)
Since the death of Dale Earnhardt, Sr., Tony has long felt it was up to him to fill the void that Earnhardt left in the sport. You know, showing newbies the ropes, even if it means using a little tough love on the unwitting rookies, letting reporters and competitors know where they stand, and when "wronged" by a fellow driver, always taking matters into his own hands. A polite shove on the track or after the race. For some reason, all of this helpfulness seems to have built up a little animosity. It seems that NASCAR has possibly grown tired of Stewart's loose cannon approach to life.
This weekend turned out to be a rough one for the driver of the number 20, much of it of his own making. While I don't condone coarse language in public or even in the home, Tony was having a private conversation with another driver. NASCAR made the right decision in not fining Tony, but vengeance can be taken other ways. All right, I'm not suggesting that NASCAR restarted the race after a long rain delay because Stewart was in first place (even though NASCAR tends to be controlling, they didn't make it rain, God controls the weather), but how hurriedly would the track have been readied if Gordon or Johnson had been in the lead? All right, maybe I am suggesting that. This is a governing organization that expanded the chase from 10 drivers to 12 to be sure that NASCAR's FAN sweetheart, Earnhardt, Jr., and NASCAR sweetheart Jeff Gordon were part of it.
Stewart was leading when the rain started, and it poured and poured, and then the shadows of evening began to set in. The race was beyond the half-way mark. On a track with no lights, I think the wise decision would have been to call the race and go home, but that would mean Stewart, a Stewart who "embarrassed" NASCAR on national television (more than once), would not only win the race but would be first in points. No conspiracy theories, just questioning their judgment, that's all. After the restart, within minutes, cars were flying all over the track. The oil and rubber were gone, leaving the track slick. NASCAR's decision seemed dangerous and was detrimental to many of the "chasers" they seem so quick to protect. Again, bad judgment on their part.
(Disclaimer, Tony Stewart is my favorite race-car driver. Why? Outside of being a great driver, one of the best, I think beyond the bad boy, Stewart has a big heart. Like most NASCAR drivers, he seems to follow the principle of to whom much is given, much is expected, and dedicates much of his time to charitable work. I think the NASCAR image is as much of an act as anything.)
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