Gordon thinks Stewart’s comments may have hurt NASCAR’s credibility
Quote selected text Published April 29th, 2007 in NASCAR News
With Tony Stewart’s comments questioning the legitimacy of some NASCAR penalties, and Denny Hamlin denying he was speeding on pit road last week, NASCAR officials have heard a lot of complaints this week. While one can debate whether or not Stewart should have commented in the way he did, the fact is that NASCAR’s integrity has been called into question - and fans have lit up Internet message boards to side with Stewart’s point of view.
Fans and media have debated for ages whether there is really debris every time a caution is thrown for something being on the track. Stewart said that NASCAR was “playing God” in throwing cautions and questioned that debris as well. He also questioned whether NASCAR had run a fair race all season.
So NASCAR found itself at Talladega Superspeedway with its integrity under fire even after Stewart said Friday morning that he had been assured by NASCAR officials whom he respected that debris cautions are legitimate. Four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon thought the damage had been done.
“I think that there’s nothing wrong with giving your opinion and he’s got strong feeling for racing, he’s passionate about racing, but this sport thrives on integrity, on viewers and fans and it’s a trickle effect,” Gordon said. “You’ve got the people that are watching it, you’ve got sponsors, you’ve got livelihoods of people that build your race car, that make up these teams, it’s a huge group of people that make this sport and what helps that is the sport being strong and what can hurt that is the sport’s integrity being questioned and it can definitely effect the sport and I think his comments have definitely effected that in some way.”
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I find this pretty interesting, because Gordon and the car he half owns, Johnson, are the ones who seem to benefit most often from questionable debris cautions, penalties, etc. I cant remember the particular event, but in one race earlier this year Johnson was penalized a lap early in the race for having a tire out of the pit box when he left. He then came back from this, and from the Fox telecast it appeared that the same thing had happened when he was running toward the front. Nothing was ever said about this, and after it was shown Fox went instantly to commercial. There is just too much evidence for Stewart’s comments for them to be ignored.
I agree, wonder why Gordon agrees with NASCAR that it hurt its credibility, because hes the one thats benefited most of the times, same with Johnson. When the stink was up bout the roughness at Las Vegas, nascar said it would get better, Gordon said oh the tracks great, every other driver hated the track except Johnson who sided with Gordon. They always side with NASCAR, like oh yeah restrictor plates are being made even smaller cause of 200 mph speeds they all said,t hey dont need to do that, it changes gears, and it aint that much, Gordon says oh yeah NASCAR is doing a great thing, keeping it safer, Johnson sided, same with bump drafting, they said Bump drafting must lessen, and less hard hits, they dont need to nail the cars, guess who sided, Gordon and Johnson. There doing that, so they dont get in the trouble liek the guys that do because they stated opinions to make the sport better then it is, Dale Sr did it, he said we need to change this, they listened. Making the sport better, now they dont listen, and it wouldnt be in any effect near of Dale Sr, he did unbelievable things to make the sport better, not because nascar listened though, because of the way he did it and stated it, and helped. Also these debris cautions have been rulled by nascar for several years now, the last 4 or 5, its getting worse now, Stewart is the first to say it, so NASCAR, who cant admit mistakes much, said oh well now that he said that, his fans are siding with him, and like its all Stewarts fault, and its not true. Many many many people have been thinking that for years, and none could tell or state that to nascar, cause either they wouldnt listen, or they just couldnt, because they had no email to send, or mail to send. and get it a world wide thing, some one famous was the only person who could get NASCAR to listen, and they did! I love nascar, but sometimes theres things, that just, jeez cant believe they did it
You guys make no sense in trying to show some sort of evidence that NASCAR sides with Hendrick or vice versa. This Hendrick hating bandwagon is getting weird.
its stupid actually its racing he got beat fairly he had his chance and couldnt hold the lead he needs to grow up maybe he should retire I cant wait till that day!There are no conspiracies going on face it tony doesnt care about his fans only money and if he will do what it takes to make that money even if it means killing someone!
opinions are like a$$holes…everyone has one!
If NASCAR is doing something wrong I want evidence!
otherwise stop your whining, drive your racecar and perhaps
get PUFFS to sponsor you, Tony!
I am not a Stewart fan but I have been wondering the same thing about Nascar. I have watched racing for 30 +/- years (tells you how old I am). I have even seen that there is something going on between Nascar and Henderick’s. Stewart isn’t the only driver to have lost to this company. Notice the things that happen Gordon and Johnson is not penalized as bad as other driver that are doing the same thing. Even during the race a tire gets away and they find a excuse to cover it up, if it was someone else would they have given the penality or let them go. I want to see this because I have seen many drivers before get penalized for a tire out the box. I dream of the way racing was 30 years ago because now it has become a horse and pony show it is all political. That is mine opinion only.
Like i’ve been saying and will continue to say..
Tony will NOT bring something up if it’s not bothering him enough to say something. He heard the fans and because we can’t really do anything, he stood up for us to voice what WE have to say. He believes it too.. something is rigged. And hm..gordon is siding with NASCAR..WONDER WHY?! whoever said that there is too much evidence that Tony is right, you are 100% on the target.
Go get ‘em Tony. NASCAR has been dictating races for years. When you’re the only show in town you do it their way. There has been dissention in the past and NASCAR has squashed it with penalties no one has ever heard of. Let’s go racing. It would be nice to see a race run its course with oUt the 1-2-3 yer out
“overtime” that is happening much too often.
Anybody else remember the old days when drivers like Petty, Allison,Baker,Parsons, and others would win races by 3,4,5…. laps? These guys were what made NASCAR the attraction it is today.
As much as I dislike Tony’s attitude and arrogance, he is right. There is no place in racing for competition yellows, phantom debris cautions or any other bogus means of making racing closer. Let the racers decide the outcome in straight competion. I don’t remember Bill Elliot having this problem when he ran away from the field. NASCAR did everything they could to find out how he was so dominant, but they still let the race be decided on the track.If NASCAR is so concerned about the entertainment aspect of the “product”, why don’t they do away with teams and furnish identical cars like IROC.
So funny, Mare! I agree 100%!!!
I think NASCAR lacks a lot of creditability…… and Mike Hilton’s
fair-haired boy ( Jeff Gorden) even less !!!!!!!!
I think the evidence is become more and more obvious. Ofcourse he is going to side with Nascar, he isnt an idiot, hes
the one that always just happens to be in the front when its thrown. As for Stewarts comments, what would have happened
if that was Sr. They would have paid attention. On the same note, why is it that he is getting fined for something
that he said on HIS radio show. Its like my friend in the military said, when im in uniform he is representing the Army,
but when hes off work and out of uniform he has the right to say what he wants. All I have to say is,” way to go Mike,
good way to cover nascars butt and not let Stewarts exercise his freedom of speech rights.
I think Jeff Gordon ought to let other people give there opinion because he does and it seems that it always benefits him when Nascar does this junk. I very seldom watch racing anymore for that very reason because it depends who the driver is as to what Nascar does about it. YOU GO TONY STEWART. GIVE THEM HELL especiall jeff gordon. Jeff Gordon has always complained about everything that wasn’t going his way. I would watch racing more if he wasn’t out there. He is the only driver out of all the years that I detest.
I don’t think the average Nascar fan cares about credibility.
wow, here’s an idea….since everyone except Tony the tantrum is wrong why doesn’t NASCAR just pull out all the other drivers and let mr. crybaby have the track all to himself. That should make for a real interesting race huh? Then there would be no *cough cough* bogus cautions and there would be no body to blame for him hitting the wall. Oh yeah, and then he wouldn’t have to worry about being penalized for being such an idiot.
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