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  • March 11, 2008 05:34 PM ET

Were Tony Stewart's Goodyear tire comments out of line?

Gone (2-2-0) vs dudeman is gone. (31-44-7)
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No. Every sport needs competitors like Tony who aren't afraid to stand up to the establishment. Did he make it personal? You bet, but wouldn't you too if you were putting your life on the line every weekend and felt like the people producing the tires weren't doing the best they could to keep you safe?

I think we can all agree this is an important issue and it is only in the headlines because of Stewart's comments. Many times it takes someone feeling very strongly to get a sports body or big corporation to move to fix a problem. If Tony hadn't, this would have gone on until another driver or a team owner, stepped up.


Stewart CHOOSES, under his own will, to race every weekend.

NASCAR doesn't get on his hands and knees and begs him to race. It's his job, he has too either:

A) Go to NASCAR, not the media.

or

B) Suck it up.

Think of it this way, if you went to the media instead of your boss about crappy working environment, do you think he'll keep you for badmouthing millions? I don't think so...

I think Stewart should have approached NASCAR about the tires, and not put down the whole organization for making a bad choice. NASCAR is responsible...Jeff Gordon had not-so comments about the wall in a racetrack, and NASCAR quickly investigated...Stewart should have kept it between himself and NASCAR.


Stewart works for Joe Gibbs Racing, not NASCAR.

"Teams are to businesses, as a sports governing body is to the national government."

And as the government has the responsibility to protect its constituency, sports have a responsibility to protect their competitors. NASCAR is like any other major sports body (or government): slow to react to issues. That is until the media finds out and their own rear end is on the line.


Either way, NASCAR can dock him points or fine him. So, NASCAR does have power over him.

"NASCAR is like any other major sports body (or government): slow to react to issues."

Are we talking about the same sport? NASCAR IMMEDIATELY looked at the wall after Gordon's comments. They are responsible...did you see how quickly they reacted after the Casey Mears/Sam Hornish crash? Less than 15 seconds...guarenteed.

NASCAR is responsible...they would've done something if Stewart had asked them.


"NASCAR IMMEDIATELY looked at the wall after Gordon's comments"

Exactly. They reacted after it became an UNAVOIDABLE issue when the broadcast crew voiced how dangerous that situation was to everyone watching the race. Anyone with any foresight can see that if they hadn't react quickly the media would be all over it exactly like what is going on with this tire deal.

I don't know about you, but I'd take a driver standing up for safety any day. The only alternative many times is a driver being seriously injured or killed for the sport to admit there is a problem.


Stewart's comments were waaay harsher than Gordon's. He unnecessarily embarrassed NASCAR. I'm sure NASCAR would've handeled the situation even if he didn't make a scene on NATIONAL TV.

Look, if a driver wants to stand up for his/her safety, than they should do so. But, they SHOULDN'T take it to the media. He made NASCAR look bad, and wasn't thinking before he said what he said.

Comments (11) Add A Comment

March 11, 2008  06:42 PM ET
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I agree with <---- but I'll wait for Protege's argument.

Tony Stewart = my hero, btw...

March 11, 2008  08:20 PM ET
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i thought i agreed with left...but right makes up very good points

March 11, 2008  08:25 PM ET
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Accually, NASCAR does get on their hands and knees to beg him to race.

March 11, 2008  08:27 PM ET
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Think of it this way, if you went to the media instead of your boss about crappy working environment, do you think he'll keep you for badmouthing millions? I don't think so...


hahaha whos going to tell Tony stewart he can't race becasue of what he said? hahahaha
you got to be kidding me...

vote <---------

March 11, 2008  08:29 PM ET
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Stewart CHOOSES, under his own will, to race every weekend.



are you going to quit your job becasue of something being unsafe? or are you going ot complain about it?.....youll be poor really quick if you quit every job that you found something wrong with.....

March 11, 2008  08:39 PM ET
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Just cause he chooses to race doesn't mean he can't have an opinion and shouldn't be allowed to voice it.

March 11, 2008  10:13 PM ET
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stewart is an **** hole and thats what i love about him

March 12, 2008  12:56 AM ET
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Stewart SHOULD HAVE gone to NASCAR. But of course, doing that would just result in the same 'ol same 'ol. "Yes, Tony, we know. Goodyear cant make a tire for ****. But we're in a long term deal or whatever with them and it's just not feasible to cut ties at this point. Yada, yada, yada..."

Going to the media, being his usual loud mouth self, is what he knew he had to do. And even if he didnt think it through like we're so easily able to do at the comfort of our own computer chair, he was just being himself.

Trashing Goodyear on national telivision was the wrong thing to do, but also the right thing. Let's just see if NASCAR gets off their **** and gets the better tires for the job.

March 12, 2008  08:34 AM ET
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"The tire is fine," [Carl] Edwards said. "Everybody has the same tires."

Apparently not everybody had a problem with the tires, just the two guys who finished second and third. Seems like sour grapes to me.

When they do change the tires, Tony, what's your next excuse going to be?

March 12, 2008  08:47 AM ET
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Hahaha typical Tony venting after a race, maybe not the best avenue to do it in, but it needed to be addressed at some point. When drivers like J.Gordon, G.Biffle, Dale Jr., R. Newman and Tony all say that the tires were unsafe for that surface, then obviously there's a problem.

Porkins, Carl Edwards aside from Kurt Busch is the most politically correct driver in the sport. It would take a small miracle for him to slip up and bad mouth NASCAR...

 
March 15, 2008  10:47 PM ET
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I VOTE
<---------------------------------------
AND NOT JUST BECAUSE HE'S MY FRIEND

(WHATS UP, MAN?)

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