Tony Stewart said today
that while his clash with Joey Logano two weeks ago at Auto Club Speedway is
over and done, he is not about to change his stance on blocking in NASCAR.
“That’s two weeks ago,”
said Stewart to reporters. “I’m on to Martinsville this weekend. We are trying
to figure out what we have to do to make our race cars go fast this week.”
Stewart says he has not
spoken to Joey Logano about their Fontana fracas, and does not plan to.
“We are in Martinsville,
Virginia this week,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of stuff to do other than worry
about something that happened two weeks ago. I can’t change it. I can’t do
anything about what happened two weeks ago. All I can do is worry about our
Rush Truck Centers Chevrolet, (Danica Patrick’s) GoDaddy Chevrolet and (Ryan
Newman’s) Quicken Loans Chevrolet. That is what I have to focus on.
“I gave everybody more
than ample time to ask me all the questions they wanted two weeks ago about
what happened two weeks ago. It’s time to move on from here.”
While acknowledging that
not everyone agrees with his “no blocking” philosophy, Stewart said he has no
plans to change his point of view.
“My stance has never
changed about blocking,” he said. “Everybody has got a different opinion. (For)
the last two weeks, everybody has tried to make a comparison to the Talladega
deal. Talladega is a little different deal than the rest of it. I don’t like it
at Daytona and Talladega either, but it’s the position we are put in there.
What happened at California is a different deal.
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| Smoke knows Martinsville |
“The people that are
trying to compare the two… it’s disappointing that they don’t understand the
sport any better than that. There is a huge difference between the two. I don’t
like blocking, I never have (and) I never will. It’s our job as drivers to go
out there and try to pass people. That is what racing is about. We didn’t have
blocking 10 years ago. I don’t know where all of a sudden it became a common
deal, or (how) some people think it’s alright to do now.
“I don’t believe in it.
I don’t believe it should be common practice.”
The former Sprint Cup
Series champion said he sees no need for NASCAR to step in and begin policing
the practice.
“NASCAR’s position has
always been let the drivers handle it (and) I don’t think NASCAR should have to
be put in that position,” said Stewart. “It’s like they tell us in the drivers
meeting each week; we are the best drivers… in the country driving these
things. We should be able to handle it on our own.
“As drivers get younger
and younger, (they) come in they come in with their own set of ideas,” he said.
“I just know how it would have been 12 or 14 years ago if I would have tried to
do that on a restart. I know what would have happened. The opinions are divided
now.
“If you did something
wrong around a veteran driver, they taught you quickly how you made a mistake,
(that) what you did wrong and that is not acceptable. NASCAR has got enough
stuff that they have to worry about.”
Stewart also admitted
that blocking with likely continue on superspeedways, however, adding, “We
don’t have a choice. We can’t get away from each other there. It’s not so much
that you are trying to block, as much as you are trying to make that guy… push
you. We don’t have the luxury of running on our own there. You have to have
somebody pushing you. So if there is a line coming, you want that faster line
to pick you up and push you.
“The last half lap at
Talladega is different than a restart with 15 to go at California.”
Smoke has become two sided, not ok for someone to block him, but ok if blocks. I have seen Tony block a few times over the years. Get over Tony, don't run your mouth, run your race.
ReplyDeleteI am a Stewart fan to the absolute core. I have been watching him nearly as long as he's been racing, however, if he thinks blocking is only a product of the past 10 years perhaps NASCAR needs to take a urine sample...it's been in NASCAR and racing since it's inception. Perhaps the only form of racing that doesn't include blocking is drag racing!
ReplyDeleteI have been watching auto racing since I was 4, I'm now 47. I have been a race announcer, a race official for 12 years, a driver for 4 years and a sponsor for 6 years. It's possible that I've forgotten more about racing than some people will ever learn.
I have seen blocking on TV for as long as I can remember. I have watched it in dirt racing longer than I care to remember. I've blocked other drivers myself and have been blocked.
I really have no idea where Smoke is coming up with the notion that it's only been around for 10 years.
There is a big difference in California and Talladega .. No one was wrecked or hurt in California. In Talladega, Stewart caused a huge wreck, lots of torn up cars, ruin many drivers/teams good run and points days, and injuries to drivers.
ReplyDeleteThe other difference, Logano owned up to his move and explained why it was done the majority of fans support him 100%. Stewart is still mouthing off and attacking a young successful racer, who is doing a great job and has a great future, taking no responsibility for his actions, and basically behaving like a bully and spoiled brat.
Ok Tony, let me see if I got this. You can block some of the cars all the time and all the cars some of the time, but you can't block all the cars all the time. Right?
ReplyDelete