Why I Love Tony Stewart

by Tammy

It's appropriate to call Tony Stewart a "bad boy," but you have to have to have the right connotation. I'm not talking "bad boy" like James Dean, all sultry and seductive. I'm talking "bad boy" like Chuck Norris. On second thought, maybe what I really mean is "bad ass."

Because Tony Stewart, or "Smoke," is definitely a bad ass, in that "I don't give a crap what other people think, I'm going to be me and do my thing." And his thing is racing. He looooooves racing.

I've hung onto a six year old quote from Smoke, because it epitomizes what I think is awesome about him, but also what I want my protagonist to feel about racing. He's talking about the 24 Hours of Daytona:
"I do (the 24 Hours) just because it's another race I can go run," said Stewart.... "If anybody wants to go out and have a foot race after we're done with the media session, we'll go outside. I've got new shoes on, they're soft on the bottom and I think I'll have a traction advantage over you Docker fans. I'll race anything. It doesn't matter to me." (Racer, August 2006)

His passion for racing often means a spectacular display of driving, such as the final race last year, which he had to come from the back of the field (twice) to win outright to take the season championship. It can also mean some great displays of temper, such as this weekend's helmet throwing incident.



Now, I don't know if he was right or wrong and Kenseth was crowding him or driving fair. I don't really care. Because I love that Smoke is fired up enough to throw his helmet. And you know? Maybe he swore on tape, but I doubt it. He's savvy enough to know it's good TV and a good show of temper to throw his helmet, but not to curse a blue streak or make obscene gestures. Smoke tends (as far as I know) to leave it on the track.

Which makes for a damn entertaining show. Anyone else a fan?

Bad Behavior

by Tammy

I complain about Kyle Busch a lot. I haven't said much about his brother, Kurt (KuBu for Kurt Busch). But he's got his own issues, namely, anger management and an inability to bite his tongue.

Last September, he charged a reporter, as if to fight him (because the reporter asked if he could win the championship). At the last race of the season, he raged against a reporter trying to ask him about being forced out of a race (which seems like what reporters are supposed to do, right?). For the latter, NASCAR fined KuBu and put him on probation. And KuBu lost his job at Penske Racing, though I'm not sure anyone has ever said his temper was the cause (though it has to be).

So this year, KuBu is with Phoenix Racing (no, I hadn't heard of them either), and many comments were made about him trying to repair his image.

Then on Saturday, another reporter asked if some bumps with another driver were a problem because KuBu was recently put on probation (again) for poor behavior with another driver at another race, he responded, "It [the probation] refrains me from beating the s&*% out of you right now, because you ask me stupid questions."  (Here's the video, if you're curious.)

What's generated the most hilarity, of course, is the fact that in the same interview, KuBu said, "I'm on probation, so I can't even pick my nose the right way." The twitterverse has had a field day with that one.

Apparently, NASCAR is considering further action against KuBu when they have a Tuesday hand-out-penalties meeting.

So here's my question: how is it that he's still racing? I get it, he's good, he's got experience. But there are so many good racers out there begging for a chance ... surely there's one who's 95% as good as Kurt Busch and 300% more personable. Wouldn't that make more sense for a team?