Jun 30 2008
Tony’s Exit
Since his rookie season in 1999, Tony Stewart of NASCAR has been a force to be reckoned with. He has captured many fans, not to mention 2 Cup Championships, with his skillfully aggressive driving.
Recently, Stewart has expressed his desire to leave Joe Gibbs Racing with whom Tony has driven his entire pro career for. Why the sudden change in direction for Stewart? It has seemed like a successful combination so far.
Some have read into his displeasure with Gibbs stemming from the success of Kyle Bush. Maybe Gibbs has been enjoying his new talents success, but surely Gibbs knows that Stewart has turned Joe Gibbs Racing into an elite Team in NASCAR.
Could this just be another turbulent moment in Stewarts career? Perhaps, but his outbursts usually come from another drivers mistakes. It seemed like it was just going to be a normal run-of-the-mill statement that was not going to take Stewart anywhere.
This is a 2-time Cup Champion, who has won consistantly for Gibbs throughout his career. Up until last week, the racing world assumed that Stewart was just voicing his desire to stay and make his checks slightly larger.
Then, Hendrick Motorsports announced last week that it will release Casey Mears, driver of the Kelloggs Number 5 car, at the end of the season. Wait a minute here, it does not take a genious to put 2 and 2 together.
With the exception of the beginning of this season, Hendrick Motorsports has been the Elite team in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup series. The 2007 and 2006 Champion Jimmie Johnson calls Hendrick Motorsports his home.
Johnson was involved in a battle last year for the championship with 4-time Champion Jeff Gordon who, you will not believe it, is under contract with Hendrick Motorsports. For years Gordons main rival was NASCAR great Dale Earnhardt Sr. until his passing, then Stewart stepped up as the new threat to Gordon.
Stewart joining Hendrick would not be as shocking as some think. Let’s remember that last year it was revealed that Gordons former rival Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s son Dale Jr., who is the most popular driver in the sport, left his fathers race team (Dale Earhardt Inc.) to join Hendrick Motorsports.
This move was one of the biggest in NASCAR history because it involved their biggest driver, and Dale Jr. left the team that has his name. Since then, Dale Jr. has been a solid performer for Hendrick winning one race and he is currently 3rd in the points race.
Also, Gordon sits in 6th and Johnson in 5th in the points standings, Mears is currently 23rd and not expected to make this years Chase For the Cup. So that means that Hendrick Motorsports has three fourths of its drivers poised to contend for this years championship.
Tony Stewart is currently in 9th place and has yet to win a race this season. Joe Gibbs Racing made a change to Toyota from Chevy which some have speculated Stewart as not being happy about. Gibbs has said that he intends to keep Stewart for as long as he can, but with the emergence of Kyle Bush, and Nationwide Series Rookie phenom Joey Logano, the odds are Stewart takes his services elsewhere.
Adding the 2-time Champion would make Hendrick Motorsports the New York Yankees of NASCAR. When/If Stewart leaves Gibbs for Hendrick, 26 Championships seems within reach for Hendrick easily. Or maybe not.
