Tony is right and wrong!

By Mike Harper

Where there’s "Smoke," there’s fire.

Two-time NASCAR Nextel Cup Series champion Tony Stewart is more than just your typical race car driver, he’s a track promoter, he’s a radio show host and he represents a major corporation.

Stewart gets paid very well to perform the duties of a NASCAR driver including being the face of NASCAR and the sponsors he represents. That’s a fact and it goes with the job.

On Stewart’s Tuesday radio show he said, "I guess NASCAR thinks 'Hey, wrestling worked, and it was for the most part staged, so I guess it's going to work in racing, too,' " he said. "I can't understand how long the fans are going to let NASCAR treat them like they're stupid before the fans finally turn on NASCAR. I don't know that they've run a fair race all year."

To sum up his comments, Stewart thinks NASCAR is throwing caution flags to determine the outcome of races. While I have questioned NASCAR on this very topic in the past and I believe Stewart is correct and has the right to question it as well, in my opinion, Stewart was wrong to go on his radio show and make these kind of accusations.

Tony Stewart is a competitor racing in the very sport he’s accused of staging finishes. It’s the media’s responsibility to step up and report on whether or not the sport is staged, not Stewart’s. In my eyes, if Stewart had a problem with NASCAR because he believes the races are fixed due to bogus cautions, he should have called a meeting with Brian France and Mike Helton and shared his feelings with them, behind closed doors. Stewart going on the airwaves and criticizing NASCAR in this fashion was unprofessional and not well thought out. Why? Well, because his accusations could hurt the integrity of the sport.

You may disagree, but when an opinion columnist or radio show host goes out and writes positive or negative things about NASCAR, the readers or listeners can choose to agree or disagree with the opinion given. But when a driver, owner or team member criticizes the very sport they’re involved in such as Stewart did, people take it as truth.

For example, if a food critic goes into a restaurant and writes about a bad dish, people can choose to believe it or go try it out for themselves. But if a restaurant worker claims in public that the chef doesn’t wash his or her hands after going to the rest room before they cook the meals – folks will without a doubt stay away and not eat there.

This is why other professional sports penalize and fine players and coaches for criticizing the sport they play in or the officials and referees. There’s an internal process to follow when a player has an issue – and it should be followed.

Stewart can call out a fellow competitor, he can skip the media sessions and he can even take verbal jabs at Darrell Waltrip for all I care. But biting the hand that feeds you because of personal gain, frustration or just because, was the wrong way to handle the issue.

I like NASCAR’s response on this one, "There are thousands of talented race drivers out there who would consider it an honor to compete in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series."

This is true.