Stewart in Trouble UPDATE Suspension? UPDATE 4 Fined and Extended Probation: Tony Stewart faces disciplinary action from NASCAR this week as a result of his confrontations with a member of the motorsports media and Winston Cup series director Gary Nelson following Saturday night’s Pepsi 400 at Daytona. With four laps of 160 laps remaining, Stewart drove his #20 below the yellow line that outlines the start of the racing surface. Drivers were warned before the race by NASCAR President Mike Helton any driver who drove below the line to advance a position would be black-flagged. When the incident happened, NASCAR officials signaled for Stewart to be penalized. However, disagreeing with the call, Stewart failed to report to pit road to answer the black flag and finished the race, crossing the finish line in sixth position. Angry at NASCAR’s decision, Stewart responded to a question about the incident from Winston-Salem motorsports writer Mike Mulhern by slapping Mulhern’s tape recorder out of his hand. When Mulhern went to pick it up, Stewart kicked it under one of the haulers. Stewart then went to the NASCAR hauler to complain about the call. He and his team believe Stewart’s Pontiac was forced below the yellow line by driver Johnny Benson. Stewart found Nelson near the side entrance of the NASCAR hauler and angrily confronted him. He had to be held away from Nelson by his car owner, Joe Gibbs, and crew chief Greg Zipadelli. Stewart then left the area and the track. Gibbs and Zipadelli met with Nelson in an effort to explain their position. NASCAR spokesman John Griffin said NASCAR officials reviewed film of the incident and stand behind their original call. Griffin also said Stewart, who remains under probation for spinning Jeff Gordon’s Chevrolet on pit road following the race at Bristol in March, will face additional penalties for his actions after Saturday’s race. As a result of his failure to answer the black flag, Stewart was moved from sixth to 26th in the finishing order, the last car on the lead lap(That’s Racin’) and story at NASCAR.com: Stewart dropped to 26th. The change cost Stewart 65 in valuable Winston Cup Points. Also an AP story ay the CBS Site: Stewart docked 20 finishing positions for ignoring black flag. Mike Mulhern was pretty kind in today’s column – Earnhardt stuns Daytona(7-8-2001) UPDATE: hearing Stewart is facing a suspension of as little as one race to as many as three races, yikes. Remember, Stewart was fined $10,000 and put on probation until 8/29 for bumping Jeff Gordon on pit road after the Bristol race in March (but I can’t believe they will do so). AND NASCAR officials weren’t the only ones upset with Stewart. So was #93- Dave Blaney. “I was right down on the bottom of the race track, and he must have run across the apron and smashed into the side of me,” Blaney said. “It turned my car clear sideways. It was the stupidest thing I’ve seen on his part. I don’t know what he was thinking.”(Winston Salem Journal) UPDATE 2: FSN’s Totally NASCAR is reporting that Stewart is facing a probable fine and one race suspension AND: Any penalties from NASCAR against Tony Stewart for his post-race blowups at the Pepsi 400 were expected to be handed down Tuesday. That is the same day Stewart was to attend his grandfather’s funeral. Carroll Stewart, 89, died Saturday night in Lafayette, IN. Stewart wasn’t told of the death until after his confrontations with a Winston Cup official and a reporter following Saturday night’s race at Daytona International Speedway, his spokesman, Mike Arning, said Monday. Arning said the funeral services were set for Tuesday(AP)(7-9-2001) UPDATE 3: NASCAR officials, out of respect for Tony Stewart’s late grandfather, will wait until Wednesday morning to make a decision on his immediate driving future(NASCAR.com), ESPN2’s RPM 2Night says their sources say the only penalty will be in the wallet (money) with no suspension(7-10-2001) UPDATE 3: Tony Stewart was fined $10,000 by NASCAR as a result of confrontations following Saturday night’s Pepsi 400 at Daytona. Stewart’s probation was also extended(That’s Racin’) AND additionally, Stewart, who was already under probation by the sanctioning body stemming from an incident at Bristol in March, had his probation extended from Aug. 29, to Nov. 21, 2001. If he further violates the probation, he could be fined and/or lose championship points, finishing positions and suspension from NASCAR. In addition to the fine and the probation extension, Stewart will be required to issue a formal apology to a media member(Mulhern) for his confrontational actions on Saturday night, as well as issue a formal apology to NASCAR fans(NASCAR.com)(7-11-2001)
