Boys Behaving Badly

If you follow NASCAR (and you probably don't, so I'm going to fill you in), you probably have seen by now the on-track altercation between Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch last weekend in Daytona. This article tells the story and links to video of parts of it.

What happened on the race track itself wasn't the issue, it was what happened as they were headed back to the pits that resulted in the 6 race probation. With some drivers I would argue that the retaliator (in this case Busch) got what he deserved in the probation, but the other guy got hit too hard for what looked like an inadvertent incident on the track (in this case Stewart). However, Tony Stewart has a history of being hot-headed and running over people. These two drivers also have been known to clash, so I would say NASCAR was right to punish both equally. In reality, this will have no particular bearing on this weekend's event or the next 5 - unless they are stupid enough to get together again. And with Stewart, who knows.

It reminds me of a scene from Days of Thunder. When Cole and Rowdy are leaving the hospital, the NASCAR big-wig (played by none other than Fred Thompson, yes, that one) says to them, "You want to turn yourselves into a greasy spot on side of the road, go ahead. But you're not going to do it on my track. If you two knuckle-heads trade paint one more time, if you so much as touch, I'm going to take your race-cars apart for 300 laps. Then, if you put them back together and you pass inspection, I might let you back on the track." (Yes, I can hear Tony from OTB in my head reminding me that I can quote more movie lines than scripture)

I don't know if NASCAR gave the boys any sort of threat like this, but I'd love to see that happen - cars in pieces sitting next to one another as the crews thrashed to put them back together. That's like the ultimate pit-stop competition. Then again, the crews shouldn't be punished, the didn't do anything here. That to me is the real crime, the guys that work on the race cars have to repair the damage the drivers caused just because they lost their temper. Hey Tony, how about you grab that wrench and put that quarter-panel back on!

Last thing, if I'm a driver on Sunday (if only) I'd be staying clear of those two guys, particularly if they're anywhere near one another. Matter of fact, I'd either be trying to stay out front or way in the back. When you go to the restrictor-plate tracks those are the two safest places to be.