NASCAR just like Wrestling??

[Lowprofile]

Associated Press
Posted: 2 hours ago     



CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Two-time champion Tony Stewart likened NASCAR to professional wrestling and accused it of using bogus caution flags to shape races in biting comments made on his weekly radio show.




Stewart's appearance on his Tuesday night show was his first since skipping a post-race press conference in Phoenix. He dominated Saturday night's race but lost after a late exchange of leads with winner Jeff Gordon. Stewart said he refused interviews to avoid bashing NASCAR after officials threw four cautions for debris on the track.

"It's like playing God," he said on his Sirius Satellite Radio program. "They can almost dictate the race instead of the drivers doing it. It's happened too many times this year."

Stewart, who said he was fighting a fever and left the two-hour show early, went on to say fans are complaining about debris cautions and NASCAR isn't listening.

"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."

NASCAR called Stewart's comments "very, very disappointing."

"NASCAR has been running races since 1948, and we place the safety of the drivers at the top of the list," said spokesman Jim Hunter. "We have more people and more resources than ever officiating our races. The safety of the drivers is our first priority. It has always been that way and will continue to be that way.

"There are thousands of talented race drivers out there who would consider it an honor to compete in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series."




Although NASCAR has a policy that prohibits obscene language and gestures on television, the sanctioning body has no rule against criticizing its officiating. The NBA and NFL both fine its participants for criticizing the referees.

Hunter said NASCAR had no plans to punish Stewart for his remarks about officiating, which is done from a tower above the race track by a team of eight that includes NASCAR president Mike Helton and competition director Robin Pemberton.

NASCAR also does not force its drivers to meet with the media but has post-race procedures in place for the top three finishers and highest finishing rookie. The official entry blank each week lists the policy, but Stewart was adamant on his radio show that he is not required to abide by it.

"There's nothing, zero, in my contract that says I have to do that," he said. "We do that as a courtesy to NASCAR and the media. The thing with the media is they think it's our obligation to do those things. It's not our obligation. It's a privilege that they get to do that."

He said skipping the press conference was his way of getting even with NASCAR over what he considered unfair officiating.




"NASCAR is the ones that always ask us to go to the media center, so instead of doing what they wanted, they don't do what we want to do and run the race fair," he said. "So why would I go to the media center and make them happy?"

Stewart led a race-high 132 laps at Phoenix but lost the lead while pitting under the final caution, which came for an accident. He used an impressive three-wide pass to re-claim the lead, only to swap it right back to Gordon, who drove away to victory.

Stewart called it the only legitimate caution of the day.

"To me, it's not all about the money, it's about the integrity of the sport," he said on his radio program. "When I feel our own sanctioning body isn't taking care of that, it's hard to support them and feel proud about being a driver in the Nextel Cup Series when they're throwing debris cautions."

He has had a frustrating start to the season, dominating several races but failing to find his way to Victory Lane. He was the class of the field at Daytona and Bristol, only to lose those races because of a wreck and mechanical failure.

He also lost a race in Atlanta when a debris caution came out while he was leading with 25 laps to go and the field pitted. Jimmie Johnson passed him for the victory with three laps to go.

Stewart was so frustrated after wrecking in Texas two weeks ago - an accident caused by hard racing with Juan Pablo Montoya and criticized because Stewart ultimately wrecked Dale Earnhardt Jr. - he threatened retirement.

The 35-year-old Stewart had calmed by the time he hosted last week's radio show, when he said he talked of retiring out of frustration.

[bull]

Yup. Another similarity is all the toothless fans who are convinced it's the real deal.

[Vainglory, Esq.]

Somebody had to say it.  Somehow I'm not surprised it was Smoke.

[ChargerRT440]

It's one of those crappy seasons where gordon will claim his next championship because Nascar is fueled by money. I'm glad somebody in the business said it because I don't think anyone would listen to anyone else about it.

[70charginglizard]

Yep, I think Smokes right..... Good for him for speaking his mind. I'm inpressed.

What better way to promote that new crappy looking COT hen by allowing there poster child Jeffy the ability to win all the races with it.
Majority of Rainbow boy's wins are usually because Nascar did things like this in his favor.
and Nascar know that the majority of the Nascar fans really hate that car so what better way to promote it than putting there most popular car driver in the winner circle every race this year.
Typical Nascar.
I'm just suprised they haven't tried to put one of the popular Toyota guy's up there with all the money they've been bribing Nascar with lately....lol

[BrianShaughnessy]

    Tony is probably the only one with enough balls to say what many of us ex-nascar fans have known for awhile.   
My list of the top 3 things that killed it.

1.  Jeff Gordon
2.  Toyota
3.  COT

[Shakey]

    Tony is probably the only one with enough balls to say what many of us ex-nascar fans have known for awhile.   
My list of the top 3 things that killed it.

1.  Jeff Gordon
2.  Toyota
3.  COT

You just quit watching NASCAR this year?

[BrianShaughnessy]

    Tony is probably the only one with enough balls to say what many of us ex-nascar fans have known for awhile.   
My list of the top 3 things that killed it.

1.  Jeff Gordon
2.  Toyota
3.  COT

You just quit watching NASCAR this year?

There's a difference between sick and dead. 

I was sick of a lot of things before.     Now it's just dead to me.

[Charger-Bodie]

nascar died in 1971!!

[PocketThunder]

Wrestling isnt fake!!

[Rocky]

I think this video pretty much sums it up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvTNyKIGXiI

"It's still real to me dammit!" 

[hemihead]

    Tony is probably the only one with enough balls to say what many of us ex-nascar fans have known for awhile.   
My list of the top 3 things that killed it.

1.  Jeff Gordon
2.  Toyota
3.  COT

Replace your #1 with Dale Jr. and that's my list. Real Nascar died in 1983 when Chrysler pulled out.

[BigBlackDodge]

Would Tony be crying if he had won the race.................I think not.


BBD

[CharlieCharger]

I think this video pretty much sums it up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvTNyKIGXiI

"It's still real to me dammit!" 

I just remembered that, and that is one hilarious clip.

[TruckDriver]

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news?slug=ap-nascar-talladega&prov=ap&type=lgns

[Rocky]

``He's like the Rosie O'Donnell of NASCAR,'' four-time series champion Jeff Gordon said. ``Controversy is something that he's used to. To me, it brings a flavor to the sport.'' 

[Mike DC]

 
The funny thing is that Pro Wresting doesn't seem to be all that hurt by the fact that it's not real. 

Maybe NASCAR should just "out" itself, and get on with fixing the races a lot more completely. Might be the smartest thing it ever did. 

[Mike DC]

 
Either way, I don't understand why NASCAR keeps letting Jeff Gordon win so much at this point. Even if they're making a lot of money off him, the long-term credibility damage to the sport isn't gonna be worth it.

It's the same reason that the league should have stopped Barry Bonds at some point whether he was selling tickets or not.

 

[pettyfan43]

Tony said what needed to be said, Even last week during the race the commentators SAID they were TRYING to find the debris! they couldn't, Every time somebody gets a decent lead, they throw a caution, they cost him this race and it ain't the first time.

This crap has been going on since brian france took over the big chair! The big difference is that when I watch Wrestlemania I KNOW it's outcome is predetermined, it is basically set up to tell a certain story. I can deal with that no problem.

Nascar goes to the trouble to do all this crap and make a big deal out the "Competition" then do whatever they can to make sure they influence the finish by trying to create good racing. All designed to hide that fact that that Car of tomorrow crap SUCKS the common template cars sucked but these new ones are a LOT worse!

[General_01]

I think Tony may have said something even if he won. He just wouldn't have been so blatant about it. He probably would have just asked the guys interveiwing him if they saw any debris, because he didn't.

I have always thought that NASCAR helped certain people. If Jeff Gordon or Dale Earnhardt Jr. spin, but don't hit anything and keep going, the caution flag flies so they don't get lapped and can pit under yellow. If Ken Schrader does or Jeff Green do the same thing, there is no caution flag and they get to pit under green and get lapped. Just my opinion.

I have to agree with pettyfan43. Since Brian France took over, NASCAR has slowly been turning into a circus. I am still watching, but it gets harder every year. Seeing the Busch race today is one of the reasons I still watch it. Did you guys see the pass Bobby Labonte made on Tony Stewart to win the race? That was COOL!!!

[6pkrunner]

What was it - a 14% drop in fans last year for NASCAR? And one has to ask why the exodus of ticket buyers. The product is getting lame. Guess they will have to introduce halftime shows with entertainers and strippers to get the fans back.
As it stands it becomes more lethargic each passing year.

[Mike DC]

       
The NASCAR chassis needed a redesign, but IMHO the body standardization was a bad idea.  It "crosses a line" in many fans' minds.  There's essentially nothing separating the series from IROC anymore.

I mean, what's next?  Is NASCAR gonna start pushing for a standardized "Engine Of Tomorrow?"

 

[pettyfan43]

I think Tony may have said something even if he won. He just wouldn't have been so blatant about it. He probably would have just asked the guys interveiwing him if they saw any debris, because he didn't.

I have always thought that NASCAR helped certain people. If Jeff Gordon or Dale Earnhardt Jr. spin, but don't hit anything and keep going, the caution flag flies so they don't get lapped and can pit under yellow. If Ken Schrader does or Jeff Green do the same thing, there is no caution flag and they get to pit under green and get lapped. Just my opinion.

I have to agree with pettyfan43. Since Brian France took over, NASCAR has slowly been turning into a circus. I am still watching, but it gets harder every year. Seeing the Busch race today is one of the reasons I still watch it. Did you guys see the pass Bobby Labonte made on Tony Stewart to win the race? That was COOL!!!

Did you notice today, EVERY TIME there was a Debris caution, They made DAMN sure they showed the debris!

[General_01]

Yea, I saw that. I also saw how David Rutimann was blowing up down the who;e straightaway, but they waited until Gordon passed McMurray for the lead in the middle of turn one before they threw the caution. Like I said. Nascar has been helping certain people win. And for you Gordon fans out there, I could care less that he beat Senior's record(I wasn't a fan of him). I just wish he did it himself instead of Nascar doing it for him. (Hang on while I get my flame retardant suit on......OK, I am ready. Flame On!

[Shakey]

Guess they will have to introduce halftime shows with entertainers and strippers to get the fans back.

They do that now, but they do it prior to the race and after as well.  Before the race they usually have some type of concert or parade of cars cruising down the track.  Afterwards, they have a fireworks show, at the night races of course.  Hell, Humpy Wheeler still had stunt drivers jumping vehicles to attract fans a few years back.

I'm one of the 14% as I simply don't have time (children & restoration project) to watch anymore and the last race I was at was Las Vegas in 2005 - I think.  I do have it on the television sometimes but rarely get to sit and watch all of the action.