Feud of the Week: Stewart's comments, 'Dega fans, Richmond
CBS.SportsLine.com's Charlie McCarthy and Pete Pistone provide analysis on three weekly racing topics.
| 1. Did Tony Stewart's comments damage the image of NASCAR? | |
| Charlie McCarthy | Pete Pistone |
 I hate to disagree with you Pete, but that's what happens when you're wrong. :) Look, I understand why NASCAR and many sponsors were irked by Stewart's comments. Most sponsors have no sense of humor when it comes to their products, and all of NASCAR knows sponsorship dollars are nothing to laugh at. But c'mon people, lighten up! Many race TV broadcasts have included announcers questioning dubious caution flags. OK, so the broadcasters never compared the sport to wrestling. Stewart did that, but on satellite radio. It's not like he said it on 60 Minutes. If NASCAR hadn't made such a big deal about Stewart's comments, they would have received little attention. |  Absolutely. One of the sport's biggest stars and most recognizable names threw NASCAR under the bus and basically questioned its integrity and credibility. That was a major black eye for a sport that has stalled somewhat in its growth and is still trying to solidify its place in the mainstream. Stewart's comments -- comparing NASCAR to wrestling -- got the attention of the national media and put NASCAR in a bad light that, despite the slight damage control the sanctioning body tried to spin over the weekend, is going to take some work to rectify. |
| 2. Was the unruly display by some fans after Gordon's win at Talladega an isolated event? | |
| Charlie McCarthy | Pete Pistone |
| Isolated? No, but it's not like there's an ugly post-race beerfest every week. If NASCAR wants to stop fans from bombarding Jeff Gordon's car or another car with beer cans, all it has to do is threaten to prohibit alcohol at the track. That, or demand that all moonshine, err, I mean beer, must be consumed in paper or plastic cups. Besides, Gordon was well protected -- I just can't believe fans would throw away good beer. | Unfortunately, no, and this kind of behavior needs to be stopped immediately. It's not just the pro-Earnhardt supporters, unhappy that Jeff Gordon passed "The Intimidator" on the career wins list -- although there were certainly a number of those knuckleheads throwing cans and garbage at both Phoenix and Talladega. Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch have all had to dodge debris from the grandstands after recent wins. Unless NASCAR and the tracks stamp out this behavior fast, it's going to escalate into a disaster with someone getting seriously injured. |
| 3. The COT is back on track at Richmond this week; what should we look for Saturday night? | |
| Charlie McCarthy | Pete Pistone |
| Ah, night-time short-track racing -- the absolute best. I'm going to offer two drivers as potential winners: Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin. Busch has raced at Richmond four times, and has a top 5 finish every time. Still, he hasn't won ... yet. As for Hamlin, his two Richmond starts include a second-place finish. I think the Chesterfield, Va., native will win this race at some point. Why not this year? | Another great race, I hope. The COT is 3-for-3 in providing some of the best races and finishes this season and Richmond, which is already one of the most competitive tracks on the schedule, should be a great example of what the new car can generate in terms of close racing. I look for the usual Richmond suspects to do well, led by the Hendrick brigade of Gordon, Johnson and Busch but a grumpier-than-usual Tony Stewart and desperate-to-win Dale Earnhardt Jr., should also be in the mix. |
