From a sports columnist in Richmond comes this opinion piece. I don't particularly care for his sanctimonious holier than thou attitude, but I guarantee if Humpy Wheeler was promoting an upcoming race, he'd have the boys in the ring at his start/finish line like Tony Stewart suggested.
Tony Stewart is on to something, but brawling isn't it
BY Paul Woody
Richmond Times-Dispatch
Published: November 03, 2011
Tony Stewart is no stranger to confrontation, so his suggestion to solve the problem of deliberate wrecks during NASCAR races came as no surprise.
"I think they ought to get a portable boxing ring," Stewart said. "As soon as they get done with the victory celebration, set the boxing ring on the frontstretch and give the fans a real show."
Ah, yes, just what NASCAR needs, more testosterone mixed with its special blend of explosive fuel.
Stewart is the first to admit that in his younger years, he would have spent considerable time in that ring. But as he has aged, he has come to understand what Joe Gibbs told him when Stewart was in the Joe Gibbs Racing stable.
The driver is the undisputed star. But cars cost millions to develop, design and build. And there are many people in the shop who work countless hours to make cars run well.
Wreck it in anger, and you're showing contempt for the entire team, owner and sponsor.
Stewart does have a point. At Martinsville on Sunday, the No.3 leader in laps led was "Caution" with 108. The race slowed 18 times because of wrecks.
Part of that was Martinsville, a half-mile track where things are so tight some drivers have more room for racing in their expansive motor homes.
But a larger part of it is the ridiculous "boys have at it" attitude NASCAR has encouraged.
"I'm still trying to figure out what 'have at it' meant," Stewart said. "NASCAR has to stay involved. You can't make it a free-for-all. Jamie McMurray's car was destroyed, and he waited for his opportunity to take out a guy he had a problem with.
"I'm not picking on Jamie. There were a lot of instances where guys were going back and retaliating. We've got to get away from doing that and let guys settle it in the garage area."
Oh. Instead of a portable boxing ring, there should be bare-knuckles brawling instead. No doubt, that would make for some good video. Hard to see how it would do anything other than create more angry driving on the track.
NASCAR doesn't so much need to stay involved as get more involved. Negligent, vengeful drivers should be suspended, actually removed from the track, not just placed on NASCAR's infamous double-secret probation. And their cars should be left in the garage as well.
Sponsors invest millions to advertise their products and have them mentioned, ad nauseam, by drivers, crew chiefs and owners.
Take that car off the track and sponsors will be upset. Owners will find less cash in their coffers. And a driver who constantly costs his team money soon will find himself without a ride.
That will be a figurative punch in the stomach that carries far more impact than a literal punch in the nose.
Contact Paul Woody at (804) 649-6444 and follow him on Twitter @World_of_Woody. Also, watch his latest "World of Woody" video at TimesDispatch.com. Search: video
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updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM