Forum: HoseHeads Sprint Car General Forum (go)
Moderators: dirtonly  /  dmantx  /  hosehead

Tony Stewart still hurting, may need to get back in a Sprint Car to complete the healing process

You could be right, but he sure doesn't sound like he's in a hurry to get back in a sprint car...

If he stops driving, thats one thing, but if he stops sponsoring a team? major losses....

Yeah, it could be a while. I don't think you will see him cut any of his sponsorship. I believe he takes his commitment to his teams pretty seriously and wouldn't change that.

I think you won't see him in a sprint car again until he retires from nascar he has missed a lot of races the last two years because of racing sprint cars and the sponsors might have a say in it to they pay a lot of money to put their name on his car.

Personally,  I think it is time for Smoke to hang up the helmet....at least full time chasing points.  

Don't get me wrong,  I think Tony Stewart on the track is a very good thing for our sport....someone with skills and high media profile who brings a lot of attention to our little part of the motorsports world.  (even when things do not go badly).    I just believe that he might have lost a little bit of that spark, that drive, whatever it was that made him so good.    Time might heal, might not.   Nobody knows since so very few have to go through what he is.  

What I really hope for Tony Stewart is that he can remain involved in and have major influence over dirt track open wheel racing for a very long time to come.    I hope that he has learned from France, Hendrick, Haas, Gibbs, etc exactly what makes NASCAR so damn popular and somehow is able to translate it into similar results for open wheel.    Right now Tony is a participant in many series through sponsorships, car ownership, driving, etc.   Without the distraction of strapping on the helmet,  I believe he can strengthen all that he is involved with.  

Tony has long said that one of his heros was AJ Foyt.   (mine too)   Is there any doubt in anyones mind that AJ hung on too long as a driver and isn't doing too bad as an owner for the last 23 years?     I believe another one of Tony's heros is Parnelli Jones.....someone who retired VERY early in his career but went on to tremendous sucess in business, mostly racing related.   Racing was better off with Parnelli the car owner and businessman than it was Parnelli the racer....and he was one hell of a racer!    Just like Parnelli,  Smoke does not have to completely hang up the helmet,  he can jump into any number of cars and race whenever he wants.   Maybe his schedule can consist of Daytona, Brickyard and a few others plus Indy 500, 24 hours of Lemans, Chili Bowl, Knoxville Nationals, Turkey night and random incognito drives in Nelson's Legends cars?  

I saw just a slight glimmer of the 'Old Tony' when, in response to someone saying he was a gregarious, likeable sort of guy, he said "I appreciate the fact that you said I was a nice guy". To me, that showed that a small part of him is returning to the person that so many people love and enjoy.

It was just a small moment, but it WAS  a moment.

Keep on keeping on Tony! We're behind you.

I am lucky enough to work at one of the best tracks 
anywhere.

Things like this take time to heal or even subside a little bit....  Check back on Tony in a year and I think you'll see a much different Tony than you see this soon after the accident.  He may be quite the same, but he's a real racer so I think he'll be much more competitive after some time passes.  Best wishes to both Tony and the Ward Family!