Stewart named in assault probe UPDATE 2 Stewart Statement AND more: NASCAR and the Sullivan County, TN, Sheriff’s Department are investigating allegations of assault against a female fan by Winston Cup driver Tony Stewart immediately following the Aug. 24 race at Bristol, TN. A statement released Friday by the Sheriff’s Office said the victim alleges Stewart shoved her in the pit area following the race and an investigation had been started. The investigation will include “all persons known to have been in the area when the alleged assault took place,” the statement said. Following the completion of the investigation, the results will be submitted to the district attorney’s office and presented to the Sullivan County Grand Jury to determine if charges should be brought. The Ssheriff’s Department said officials from Bristol Motor Speedway, NASCAR and Joe Gibbs Racing were cooperating in the investigation. Gibbs officials declined to comment on the matter Friday, but team owner Joe Gibbs is expected to address the media Saturday at Richmond International Raceway, site of Saturday night’s Chevrolet 400 Winston Cup race. NASCAR officials confirmed they knew of the incident as soon as the week following the race through discussions with officials at the track. “We are aware of the alleged incident. We have looked into it and we’re going to see what happens when this investigation is done and we are cooperating in this investigation,” said NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter. Asked if there was any substance to the allegations, Hunter replied: “I’d rather not say right now until they complete their investigation and we’ll see how that goes. They are pursuing it right now. This lady did not come to NASCAR. As far as I know, she went to the Sheriff’s Department.” Stewart was recently fined $10,000 by NASCAR and placed on probation through the end of the season for striking a photographer following the Aug. 4 race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. His sponsor, Home Depot, also fined Stewart $50,000 and placed him on probation for the rest of the season.(ThatsRacin.com/AP)(9-6-2002) UPDATE: #20 team owner (Stewart – Home Depot Pontiac) Joe Gibbs would speak on the matter at 6:30pm/et on Saturday at Richmond Intl Raceway. i have heard NOTHING besides what is seen here, nothing has been released or said since.(9-7-2002) UPDATE 2 – Statement: The following is a statement from NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver Tony Stewart regarding the ongoing investigation by the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office into an alleged incident between Stewart and a fan following the Aug. 24 Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway: “In light of the ongoing investigation into the alleged incident following the Bristol night race, it would be inappropriate for me to comment in any great detail until law enforcement officials have completed their investigation, interviewing anyone and everyone who has knowledge about the events that transpired in the moments following the race. I am personally cooperating with the investigators, and I have advised all the people who work with me to cooperate as well. I am confident that once the investigation is complete, I will be cleared of any and all accusations. I will say, however, that I did not assault anyone. In fact, I am shocked and truly at a loss as to why someone would make such an allegation.”(Motorsports Management International PR) AND Winston Cup driver Tony Stewart’s car owner, Joe Gibbs, promised Saturday to cooperate in every way with an investigation by Tennessee law enforcement authorities into a charge of assault levied against Stewart by a female race fan. “We want every single thing – whatever it is – truthfully, to be said about this,” Gibbs said, a day after the Sullivan County, Tenn., Sheriff’s Department released a statement saying it was investigating whether Stewart shoved a fan following the Aug. 24 Winston Cup race at Bristol, TN. “We would like for it all to be out in the open,” Gibbs said. “In every way, we want to try and cooperate. I think that is what every single person in our group has done.” Gibbs said he talked with every member of his organization who was with Stewart at the conclusion of the race. “Basically, what they all told me was they saw nothing out of the ordinary.” NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said no action would be taken against Stewart regarding the latest incident until law enforcement authorities have concluded their investigation. Driver Dale Jarrett spoke up during Saturday’s prerace drivers’ meeting to express support for Stewart. He received a round of applause from those in attendance.(ThatsRacin.com)(9-7-2002) WHAT HAPPENED? According to men familiar with the situation, the incident began when Stewart was walking back to his hauler. With less than three feet of space between the rigs in the garage area, Stewart reached the side door to his rig and pushed aside a woman to open the door and climb into his dressing room. The woman, so far unnamed, then went to the back of the truck and awaited Stewart. When he appeared, after changing, she told him, ‘You owe me an apology.’ Stewart, somewhat taken aback, said, ‘OK, I’m sorry.’ Then Stewart, as he walked away, grumbled to his crew about race fans in the garage, remarks that apparently sparked the official complaint.(more at the Winston Salem Journal) also – After the race started, NASCAR officials had law-enforcement officials sweep the garage of fans, apparently in response to driver complaints about security issues related to the Tony Stewart issue at Bristol two weeks ago.(9-8-2002)
