Comments on: NASCAR’s Mike Helton says Stewart’s Goodyear comments were too strong

By: Fisha695

Fisha695 — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 18:55:57 +0000

NASCAR has a contract with Goodyear until 2012, even if they wanted to Mike/NASCAR could probably not publicly acknowledge if they are looking at other tire manufactures.

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:05:08 +0000

And did anyone really expect Mike (Helton) to agree with Tony? What was he going to say “Tony, your right. The Goodyear tire we use for racing is not what we wanted and we are exploring options with other tire manufacturers at this time”? NOT! He is going to try and save face with Goodyear and, for that matter, all of their sponsors. Face it, this has opened the door up for closer scrutiny on all of the “Official Sponsors of NASCAR”. It really started with the Sunoco fuel questions a while back.

Not everything NASCAR does that is good for NASCAR is necessarily good for their drivers, or for that matter, the fans.

Paul

By: gigolo george

gigolo george — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 05:37:40 +0000

I was surprised that Mike “Fat Elvis” Helton had time to put down his fork and say anything! They’ll probably give Tony a hard time going through tech this week. Maybe all the JGR cars? Who knows? Tony erupted, many drivers agreed publicly and privately and NASCAR should listen. Just don’t come up with a stupid fine and points punishment deal. So much for drivers having “personality”.

By: Quirky

Quirky — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 04:38:28 +0000

It also made the most boring race.
I fell asleep for most of it!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 04:30:01 +0000

Although I aint gonna lie—I can’t stand Tony Stewart and am quite sick of hinews whinning and belly aching—–he’s NOT the only driver to state that Sunday’s Goodyear tires sucked!

Naturally, NASCAR can’t say a bad word about Goodyear for the $$$$$$$$$$$ involved—–now how many times has NASCAR shown their greed over right and wrong!

Our drivers—love em or hate em, deserve protected on the racetrack by quality tires which perform safely and accurately. These new transmissions etc need tested but why on actual races before they become standard…there are so many technicalities involved here besides just tires when cars start getting changed. Transmissions gearing, toe in toe out—–the list is detailed.

SO SCREW MIKE HELTON, he doesn’t have the safety of his teams in mind here—it’s all about money!!!

By: Axel Foley

Axel Foley — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 03:09:18 +0000

Tony saying that Goodyear could not build a good tire for the series that they have been a part of is subjective. It could also mean that Goodyear could not build an appropriate tire for those series. Considering the present situation that is almost an undebatable fact.

If you really want to get down to it slander can only be determined by a court of law. Goodyear better call their lawyers and get the lawsuit written up because this definitely isn’t good for their business. Goodyear knows what slander is and this would definitely be it if Tony’s accusations were imaginary. The burden is on them to prove that what Tony said is untrue and with deliberate malicious intent. They sure didn’t come anywhere near that in their press release. lol. I was disappointed that was the best a multibillion dollar company has to offer in the way of a rebuttal. Keeping another multibillion dollar company from practicing on their tires was a little bit better, but still not very good.

By: malcolm

malcolm — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 01:30:55 +0000

Well, in all other series, it was clear that they were off the pace compared to other manufacturers. Corvette ditched Goodyear because they were 2 seconds off the pace. Bridgestone easily outclassed Goodyear after a year or two in Formula 1 after Goodyear’s 30+ years of running in F1. Firestone (owned by Bridgestone) dominated Goodyear in Indy Cars in very short order.

In such a case, Tony would have lots of ammo to show that his statements are based on actual events and not “A false and malicious statement or report about someone” (as defined by answers.com).

By: Fisha695

Fisha695 — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:08:21 +0000

Saying that they pulled out of those other series because they could not build a good tire is where the slander comes in.

By: Sam

Sam — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:03:47 +0000

How is criticizing a company for producing bad tire slander? First a PUBLIC company is held to a high standard and the consumer has many more rights than a company. I would be shocked if goodyear was stupid enough to even try a law suit against tony. Second, dozens of drivers have come out against this tire. It is tonys life on the line and he voiced his opinion as he has every right too.

By: Fisha695

Fisha695 — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 00:01:59 +0000

jr88fan wrote:

I wonder…. How much STOCK does HELTON hold with GOODYEAR??? LOL

IDK, but yesterday the stocks were up 3%, and today they were down 2.34%

l0l

By: jr88fan

jr88fan — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 23:15:55 +0000

I wonder…. How much STOCK does HELTON hold with GOODYEAR??? LOL

By: Axel Foley

Axel Foley — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 21:30:27 +0000

What Tony said was far ftom slanderous. There was no malicious intent nor is their proof that anything he said about Goodyear as a company is entirely wrong. The harshest part of Tony’s statements were that Goodyear should pull out of NASCAR which is a totally valid opinion and that no other series wants Goodyear tires which does have some basis in fact. I’m sure Goodyear didn’t want them in some cases as well, but still not slander. Tony may bad mouth his employer, but he doesn’t just blindly follow them down a road he doesn’t agree with.

Helton is an authority figure. The things Helton says and the way he says them should be interpreted differently than the competitors in the sport, no matter what kind of role models we think the drivers should be. The drivers are basically normal guys with a marketable ability trying to make a life for themselves, they’re not saints. They are competitors who want the best environment for that competition to exist. Helton is more or less the God of their world who is always
looking out for the dollar. He’s no saint either, but he should be.

By: Fisha695

Fisha695 — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 20:15:50 +0000

On race weekend when at the track, the driver is a representative of NASCAR. When that Driver SLANDERS anybody or anything, that is crossing the line and NASCAR needs to step in.

Also so its ok for Tony to speak his mind, but not ok for Mike to speak his mind? That seems like what you all are saying. Mike said that not as NASCAR, but as his personal feelings on it, if NASCAR would have had a problem with what Smoke said we’d be talking about if his fine was fair or not right now……

Think people Think…………

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 19:23:36 +0000

Didn’t I understand clearly before the season even got started that NASCAR wanted to loosen the reins on Drivers personalites and let them speak thier minds on what ever issue as long as it’s not vulgar??? Helton is retracting those words by saything that Tony’s comments are out of line! HELTON NEEDS TO STEP DOWN AND QUICK!!!!! I am also proud to say that I am I huge Tony Stewart fan and have been since he climbed into a Cup car back in 1999!!! Keep talkin Tony cuz NASCAR is bound to listen up one of these days!!

By: Sam

Sam — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 17:02:19 +0000

A question for Mr Helton:

If your life is on the line much less your career are you going to speak your mind?
Or are you going to be a ***** and not say a word?

By: hendrickfan

hendrickfan — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 16:47:26 +0000

Tony has every right to say what he did, Helton has no clu or right to
second guess or dispute anything said by someone who actually drives.
Helton needs to crawl back under his rock….

By: Shawn

Shawn — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:57:47 +0000

Helton needs to back down and listen to his drivers and not bash them, they are the ones that makes the money for him, he needs to remember that!

By: Lee88-20

Lee88-20 — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 15:16:34 +0000

Who gives a crap what helton thinks,tony is gonna be tony if nascar doesnt like what he says then dont stick a microphone in his face as soon as he gets out of car,I dont have a problem with what he said at all.

By: Mel

Mel — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 14:18:32 +0000

Helton is FULL of SH#$ as Always..

He says what he is paid to say by who pays him the most. Who is he to tell a driver his words are TOO STRONG, when they should have BEEN Helton’s Words to begin with.

He just does not have the backbone to say them cause his bank account is filled…….and he does not place his LIFE on the THE LINE WEEK TO WEEK RACING……………………

By: Fisha695

Fisha695 — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 03:24:18 +0000

On most weekends the Truck series tire is the same exact one as the Cup and Nationwide one, its just stamped with Wrangler instead of Eagle. Heck it probaly was the same one this week too, you just aren’t hearing about it because they are branded differently then the Cup/Nationwide ones.