Tony & Kurt Put On Probation

[muggle not]

http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/head...ion/index.html

Stewart, Ku. Busch placed on probation for six races
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- NASCAR has placed drivers Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch on probation for the first six races of the 2008 Sprint Cup Series season, a result of their on-track altercations Friday during practice for the Budweiser Shootout.
Stewart, driver of the No. 20 Toyota and Busch, driver of the No. 2 Dodge, violated Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing; altercation with another competitor) of the NASCAR rule book.

The probations start Wednesday, as practice begins for the season-opening Daytona 500.
NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said the drivers were disciplined solely for the on-track portion of their clash, when the drivers deliberately used their cars as battering rams.
"We will continue to keep a check on this sport and won't let it get out of hand," Poston said. "If there is a repeat between these two, then we will take it much more seriously."

Busch and Stewart, former series champions with a history of clashing on the track, crashed during the final practice session Friday night

Busch attempted to block Stewart and got hit from behind, damaging both cars. Busch retaliated by slamming into the side of Stewart's car three times as they drove back toward the garage. Stewart then used his car to block Busch from exiting the track .

Both drivers immediately were told to meet with NASCAR officials, and Stewart and Busch continued to bicker during the heated, closed-door meeting, during which Stewart allegedly threw a punch at Busch

NASCAR officials came into this season saying drivers would be given more latitude to show emotion this year, and the relatively light nature of Tuesday's punishments would seem to support that.

In the past, officials haven't necessarily punished a driver more harshly if he misbehaves while on probation. Poston said that's going to change. "In the past we've used 'probation for the rest of the year,' but it's never been something that's been exercised. It never seemed to really mean anything," he said.

"Now we are going to take action. If you are on probation for an altercation with another driver, and you have a second incident during that probation period, we are going to take action."

[muggle not]

I think it is a "crock". Nothing happened on track to warrant probation for either driver. What Kurt did on pit road may have warranted probation. I believe they also put Tony on probation for slugging Kurt in the trailer.

I think that nascar has been less than truthful with their press release.

[gttouring]

NASCAR very often is crafty with what they release

[Knowlesy]

I do wonder if they have actually taken past incidents between the two into account with this.

What happened on track last week was relatively harmless and the 'car jousting' was nothing really bad (except for the people who have to remove the small dents from the bodywork!).

The hauler incident can't have been taken into account because I thought there was the old saying "what goes on in the hauler, stays in the hauler", unless I am being unbelievably dense and thinking of something else entirely.

[muggle not]

Nascar must have realized how ridiculous their first statement was on the probation. This statement was in this morning's paper:

http://www.news-record.com/apps/pbcs...16/-1/SPORTS02

"Nobody involved in the incident would confirm that Stewart actually punched Busch during the first of their two meetings with officials, as is widely believed, but Pemberton inferred that Busch's penalty was for what happened on the track and Stewart's was for what happened afterward."

"The accident was a racing incident," Pemberton said. "How they conducted themselves after that, after the accident and coming onto pit road and from there through the rest of the evening is why the penalties were equal."

[gttouring]

Busch must be a world class Jack hole- remeber when Spencer punched him in the face for being a jerk, and all the tony incidents...and...
he has pushed the line and not seemed to have made any amends with anyone
where other drivers who are 'bumpy' or rough seem to have friends and it gets forgotten
even when Vickers wrecked Dale and Johnson to win nothing was made of it but Busch! man people line up around the block to punch this guy