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June 02, 2006
To Drive or Not To Drive?
By Mark Young
If you haven't heard about Tony Stewart and his broken shoulder blade you have either been on vacation where there is no TV or Internet or you haven't been paying attention. Lowe's Motor Speedway was not kind to Smoke as he crashed twice in two days and is now on the slow road to recovery. This weekend he has Ricky Rudd on hand as relief driver at the Monster Mile in Dover but will Tony's pride get the best of him and not take advantage of Ricky's services?
Whether you like him or not, Tony Stewart is one of the best drivers this generation has ever seen and if he can drive a Daytona Prototype with only three wheels one would think he could surely drive with only one wing. This might very well be the case if we were in the middle of the Chase for the Cup and he was a contender for the title, but this isn't even half way through the season. Everyone knows that Smoke is a hard-head and letting someone else drive a car with his name painted over the window net is like letting your best friend kiss your girlfriend.
Undoubtedly Tony has been seeing the medical gurus that the Gibbs' have brought in and they have been working on making him as comfortable as possible in the car. He will surely have one of those electrical gizmos that can be dialed-up to ease the pain level in his shoulder as well. I am of the opinion that regardless of how well the car is running when the first caution flag flies on Sunday Tony should get out of the car and let Ricky finish the race and the biggest reason for this is the track. If you are unfamiliar with Dover the straight-aways are banked more than many of the corners on some tracks. If you crash into the outside wall I can guarantee you that the car will also end up hitting the inside wall and with the speeds they carry there the impact will be hard, SAFER barriers or not.
Tony should be looking at the big picture here and try to get healed up as much as he can before the Chase. That car runs well and with a driver like Ricky Rudd in your corner you can rest assured that he knows what he is doing.
June 2, 2006 | Permalink
Comments
Stewaret should sit out the next two races and heal up.
Posted by: Mike Daly | Jun 2, 2006 9:17:17 AM
I agree, Mark. Someone said Tony was the AJ Foyt of the new era of motor sports. How true, and what a compliment.
I think Tony has matured enough the past couple years that he'll be focusing on the championship, not one race. I doubt he's totally recovered from the accident in the Sprint car, let alone what he's suffered in Busch and Cup this year. Ricky Rudd is a very good choice, and I look forward to seeing what he can do in the 20 car.
Posted by: Shirley | Jun 2, 2006 9:25:27 AM
Now Mike are you saying he should sit out completely? No points at all? Does that really make sense?
Posted by: Mark | Jun 2, 2006 9:33:33 AM
Nothing Mikey Daley (little MonkeeBoy) says makes any sense. He's irrelevant.
To Mike Daly (little MonkeeBoy): I take back any apologies I ever made to you. What the hell was I thinking. And I repeat, were you born an asshole, or do you have to work at it? You are irrelevant, and talk like a man(?) with a paper asshole. I do agree 100% with your political views however.
Sorry, I guess I'm in denial. But you're still an asshole.
I guarantee you, in V, we would have fragged your sorry ass.
Posted by: Keith#3 | Jun 2, 2006 9:51:29 AM
Mike Daly would be right if this were an ordinary guy doing ordinary work. Call in sick, hit the whirlpool and turn on the tube (and that sounds soooo good I'm gonna give it a shot). But, NASCAR drivers aren't ordinary guys and his job is a bit out of the ordinary also. I don't think he'll qualify the car or practice it much. But, when that Green flag waves he'll be behind the wheel. Now common sense again says, "Take the start then put Rudd in for whatever points he can muster up." However, the mysterious healing and restorative powers of a well behaved Stock Car have been noted to be 2nd only to those of the fountain at Lourdes. He's getting in. "Is he getting out?" is the $1,000,000 question.
Posted by: Keith | Jun 2, 2006 10:14:03 AM
My bet is that if the car blasts through the field on the first stop he will stay in as long as he can. The boy is thinking points and a repeat.
Posted by: Mark | Jun 2, 2006 10:37:30 AM
Sure Tony should let Rudd get in the car first chance he has,however that is not Tony's style. He ran the entire Daytona 500 with cracked ribs. He Won Watkins Glen 2 years ago with a stomach flu, and a soiled firesuit.He has been dehydrated in the car to the point he had to be given IV fluids on pit road. Look for Tony in victory lane on sunday,not in some hottub.
Posted by: hostage94 | Jun 2, 2006 10:56:36 AM
It is no secret that Mike Daley HATES Tony Stewart. (He has stated several times that he gets pleasure at seeing Tony Stewart eat concrete.) Nothing would give Mike more pleasure than to see Stewart sit out two races and end all hope of making the Chase for the championship.
Stewart's team is trying to repeat as champions. They are currently in 4th place. However, the #38 and #24 team were in the top 10 in points last year headed into Dover and ended up not making the Chase. (At this time last year, Sadler was in 3rd, Gordon was in 6th...Gordon was also 231 markers behind Johnson which is the same number of markers that Stewart is currently behind Johnson) EVERY point counts in the chase. The #20 team can not afford to have Stewart sit out the entire race if they want to contend for the championship.
Posted by: Sadler | Jun 2, 2006 11:03:45 AM
The next three races are going to be critical for Tony and his team. I say they must finish at the worst 20th place in order to have a chance.
Posted by: Mark | Jun 2, 2006 11:10:57 AM
Tony said on yesterday that he is planning on getting out of the car during the 1st caution. Now if he really does that who knows. He can afford to at this point get out and hand the ride over to Rudd for the rest of the race. Rudd could esaily get a top 10 or even a top 5 in the 20 car. But Tony doesn't get out of the car very easily but I think that he knows his limits and will make the smart decision.
Posted by: Melissa | Jun 2, 2006 11:16:01 AM
Melissa,
With the head restraints and hans device it's a chore for healthy (slim J/K) guys to get out. If he's comfy in the seat I think he stays.
Posted by: Keith | Jun 2, 2006 12:03:53 PM
On the news last night Tony said Ricky was going to take over on the first caution lap.
Posted by: Diane Sadler | Jun 2, 2006 12:20:45 PM
Mark, yes I am saying sit out completely - no points.
Keith#3, your apologies were insincere to begin with. You're still in denial of the real world. And you seem awfully threatened by points I make for you to call them irrelevent - so are they irrelevent or are you so threatened that you have to whine like a beetch?
"I guarantee you...." You can't guarantee anything.
Sadler, why should anyone care about the championship? If he wants to win races again then he needs to heal up, so sit out the next two races.
Posted by: Mike Daly | Jun 2, 2006 12:28:34 PM
Well Mike D, in order to compete for a championship, Stewart has to make the Chase. Being 4th in points today does not guarantee that Stewart will be in the top ten in points after Richmond. In 2005, there were three drivers that were in the top ten in points before the June Dover race that did not make the Chase. (Sadler, Gordon, Harvick). Every single point is valuable in determining which teams do or do not make the Chase. Stewart's team has run strong. However, no team is strong enough to sit out two races and lose up to 190 points per race. (The 43 place finisher can lose up to 156 to the race winner...so by at least starting the race, Stewart gains 34 more points that he would if he did not start the race...given that teams have missed the Chase by 5 points in the past, 34 points in too many points just to give away)
PS, on a side note, maybe Kieth#3 referred to your remarks as irrelevant b/c you have a habit of telling other posters that their opinions are irrelevant. Seems like you can dish insults but are not man enough to take them.
Posted by: JGR | Jun 2, 2006 12:53:07 PM
I'm sorry Mikey Daley, you are really scaring me. I take back everything I ever said nasty about you.
OK, now that that's over with "kiss my ass".
Posted by: Keith#3 | Jun 2, 2006 1:05:42 PM
JGR, Kevin Harvick can sit out two races in Busch and still maintain the lead. (sorry - couldn't resist)
But that is "irrelevant," as is Mr. Daly. For anyone to think that ANY driver would sit out two races is. . .I won't type what I'm thinking.
Even with everything Coach Gibbs could provide, I feel JGR and the entire 20 team will make the decision if Tony should stay in or not. IMO, if he gets in another wreck this weekend, he WILL be sitting out two races, if not more. I said earlier - I think Tony has matured over the past couple years, and this weekend will or will not prove that point. I hope he lets Rudd qualify, practice and take over during the first caution. Tony can join them in Victory Lane!
Posted by: Shirley | Jun 2, 2006 1:06:57 PM
Quote from Mike D.:"Sadler, why should anyone care about the championship?"
What a stupid question. Do you question why the Patriots want to win the Super Bowl? Do you question why the Yankees want to win the world series? Do you question why an NHL team wants to win the Stanley Cup?
I could think of several million reasons (ie, $$$) why a driver and team think about the championship. The check for winning the championship pretty nice. However, there is also the sense of accomplishment for the team, car owner, driver, and sponsor for winning the championship.
Posted by: Engelbreit | Jun 2, 2006 1:11:41 PM
If I were TS and in his shoes
for the next 3 weeks have RR test,qualify,and
practice in the car
Tony takes the green and pits
driver change
Rudd takes out
Remember a caution could be dangerous
even to SMOKE
let him heal
if he is the Champion we know he is
He will be a 3x one come nov.
Posted by: trucker | Jun 2, 2006 1:19:18 PM
I'm waiting for the #8 fans to kick in so I can remind them that Junior gave up the ride after he got that little burn on his chin...
Posted by: RCSanders | Jun 2, 2006 1:40:30 PM
Shirley:
It was no one less than Mark Martin who referred to Smoke as "the AJ Foyt of our generation" live on Speed.
Posted by: RCSanders | Jun 2, 2006 1:41:31 PM
Has anyone ever tried to e-mail Daly? He is so chickensh*t that he can't even post a real e-mail address. You go directly to his own blog site which is filled thoughts even more outrageous than the stuff he puts on here. The best part is that nobody comments on them NONE.
If you are going to bash anyone Daly go bash yourself for being a jackass.
Posted by: Art | Jun 2, 2006 1:41:53 PM
Hey if Mark Martin makes that reference it is likely close to the truth.
Posted by: Mark | Jun 2, 2006 1:57:58 PM
#8 also had a burn between his leg. I think that hurt more then his chin.
Posted by: Diane Sadler | Jun 2, 2006 2:13:30 PM
Sanders I am a Jr. fan, I didn't forget that he gave up the ride when he burned more than his chin. I remember his dad getting out of the car too.
Posted by: Mark | Jun 2, 2006 2:16:10 PM
To Mikey Daley (little MonkeeBoy): See, my opinions about you are extremely accurate, and most everyone on these blogs has the same opinion of you. You just don't get it. You should stick with politics and world events (MonkeeBlog) where you are 100% right (I won't take that from you), but you are a mental pygmie when it comes to racing.
Posted by: Keith#3 | Jun 2, 2006 2:49:54 PM
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